Wydad president faces financial balancing act

Newly appointed president of Wydad Athletic Club, Ibrahim El-Assri, is stepping into a role that demands a delicate financial equilibrium between the club's association and its professional sports company.

The club's association reported a healthy financial performance for the 2025-2026 season, concluding with a surplus of 229.8 million centimes. This represents a notable 38.9% increase compared to the prior season. The association's own funds grew to 5.91 billion centimes, with no bank loans or financing debts recorded. Furthermore, inherited financial arrears from previous seasons, amounting to 6.66 billion centimes, have been settled.

Despite the association's positive financial standing, the sports company, which funds the professional football team, faces substantial obligations. The association injected 7.05 billion centimes into the company. The company's revenues reached 12.74 billion centimes, but its operating expenses amounted to 14.59 billion centimes. These figures are preliminary and await approval from the sports company's board of directors.

Significant activity occurred in the transfer market, with Wydad acquiring 13 players for 4.68 billion centimes, while earning 2.19 billion centimes from selling six players. Major income streams included match and ticket revenues (3.75 billion centimes), sponsorship deals (2.69 billion centimes), player transfers (2.46 billion centimes), and grants/support (2.25 billion centimes). The company's total commitments stand at 11.58 billion centimes, including debts to other clubs, outstanding payments to players and staff, and liabilities to suppliers and agents.

El-Assri's challenge is to bolster the club's financial resources while controlling these commitments, ensuring a stable financial future that supports Wydad's sporting ambitions.