Why Morocco’s Houston match has a historic U.S. connection

Houston is set to host its last World Cup match on Saturday with soccer players from Morocco — a country with historical ties to the United States and its independence.

Morocco was one of the first countries to recognize the America’s independence during the Revolutionary War. Today, the North African nation and the U.S. hold a diplomatic relationship with trade and a defense partnership, with their militaries even holding joint exercises and training together.

Here’s what to know about the historical relationship.

In December 1777, Sultan Sidi Muhammad Ben Abdullah, who ruled Morocco, declared that all vessels sailing under the American flag could freely enter Moroccan ports. The announcement helped to put the United States on equal footing with other nations that Morocco had treaties with at the time.

The country formally recognized the United States in 1786 after signing a treaty of peace and friendship, a document that showcases the country’s longest unbroken relationship, according to the U.S. Department of State.

In 1797, an American consulate was established for the first time in Morocco.

The country’s leader at the time, Sultan Moulay Soliman, gifted the U.S. a building located in a Moroccan port city, Tangier, to use for its embassy. The became America’s first and oldest public property abroad.

When Morocco moved its capital to a different city, the Tangier building was transformed into the Tangier American Legation Museum in 1976. It is the only building outside of the U.S. that is designated as a National Historic Landmark and the only foreign building on the National Register of Historic Places.

The U.S. Department of State has called Morocco “a strong partner in counterterrorism efforts,” and the two countries have long cooperated with one another on initiatives for security, counterterrorism and military training.  

The U.S. also designated Morocco a major non-NATO ally in 2004.