France, Oct. 5 -- Two years on from Morocco's selection as one of the co-hosts for the 2030 football World Cup, the government's multi-billion-euro investment in the tournament has become a rallying cry for protesters now leading their second weekend of demonstrations to demand better public services.

Rallied by online collectives including GenZ 212 and Morocco Youth Voices, thousands of mainly young Moroccans took to the streets in a dozen towns and cities last weekend waving placards and shouting slogans including: "Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?"

Although the estimated €6 billion costs of building and revamping stadiums and roads for the World Cup appear to be the main conductor for their anger, the month-long ...