Morocco men’s head coach Nassim Nouar has been playing flag football for about five years with Outsiders, one of the top flag football teams in Europe, and for the Météores de Fontenay-sous-Bois, a well-established club in the French national league.

He coaches the U17 team at the Météores and works as an assistant coach for both the senior squad and the youth categories. Now he will guide Morocco’s fortunes when the IFAF Africa Flag 2025 tournament begins in Egypt on Friday.

What does it mean to you to coach Morocco in Cairo?

“Representing Morocco as a coach at this tournament is an immense honor for me. Flag football has helped me grow further as a competitor and as a mentor — building on foundations that were already deeply rooted in sport and leadership. More than anything, it’s about helping build something lasting for the future.”

How might that future look?

“Our long-term goal is to leverage the visibility of this tournament to boost the development of flag football across Morocco. We see this as a launchpad to establish a national structure, inspire younger generations, and build a lasting football culture.

“In terms of performance, we aim to progress every day and ultimately become an elite program that proudly represents Morocco on the world stage – including future Olympic participation.”

How have you identified players for the team and how was that process?

“Flag football is still an emerging sport in Morocco, but a local league has been running for some time, and several players already have significant experience. To identify the best talent, we combined video scouting, in-person evaluations, and strong collaboration with local coaches.

“Given the presence of many Moroccan players abroad, we also organized an official tryout in France, gathering coaches from both the men’s and women’s national teams. The final rosters are a blend of local talent and players based in Europe, particularly in France.

“Most of our local players are based in the Casablanca and Rabat areas, where the national flag football league operates. These athletes often know each other well, either as teammates or rivals. Our international players are mostly from France. Some bring tackle football experience, while most have backgrounds in soccer, athletics, or basketball, before transitioning to flag football, which they’ve been practicing for several years.”

What are the main challenges with creating a completely new national team in a short space of time?

“Three main challenges come to mind. The first was ensuring that all coaches shared a common vision and were ready to work with the realities of a young federation. Fortunately, we are a passionate and united staff with strong shared values.

“Second, we had to identify and evaluate talent quickly. Thanks to the presence of coaches both in Morocco and abroad, we maximized our resources to build the best possible roster.

“Finally, the biggest challenge is building chemistry among players and coaches in a short time. We are confident in our strategies and player skills, but limited joint practices mean that communication and cohesion will be critical.”

Do you know what you expect your strengths to be ? What is your coaching philosophy?

“We believe the main strength of our team lies in our speed and agility. Flag football is a fast-paced game, and we aim to control the tempo from the start.

“Our coaching philosophy is simple: create a framework where every player can perform at their highest level. That means minimizing mental errors, avoiding penalties, and letting our players’ natural talent shine.”

The national teams playing at the tournament will be competing for the first time. How do you prepare to play against unknown opponents?

“We focus first and foremost on executing our own game plan to the highest standard. Since all teams are debuting, there’s limited scouting material, so we prepare our athletes to adapt quickly and rely on their instincts and training.

“As coaches, we will observe and adjust during the tournament. Our emphasis is on controlling what we can control – execution, discipline, and energy.”