Participating without voting? Football supporterism as political participation in Morocco

When citizens feel dissatisfied with formal political channels, they seek other arenas. This article examines one: the football stadium. Drawing on Morocco, where 66.4 per cent of voters aged 18–24 were unregistered in the 2021 legislative elections, it tests whether the Collective Political Action of Football Supporters (CPAFS) constitutes non-conventional political participation. Supporter organizations of Wydad Athletic Club (WAC) and Raja Club Athletic (RCA) in Casablanca maintain a documented tradition of collective political expression. An original survey of 414 supporters (January–June 2023) provided validated composite scores for CPAFS and Political Participation. Hierarchical OLS regression incorporating six socio-demographic controls reveals a strong positive association (β = .818; ΔR2 = .646; p < .001): supporters most engaged in non-conventional repertoires (demonstrations, fiscal civil disobedience, commercial boycotts, petition-signing) score highest on CPAFS. A sensitivity analysis shows the association is carried by the most costly and risky forms. These findings provide the first quantitative test of football supporterism as political participation in a MENA context, complementing an established qualitative literature. They challenge the thesis of political apathy among North African youth: electoral disengagement reflects a displacement of political energy towards alternative arenas, one that coexists with persistent disillusionment and withdrawal.