Hespress

What is Hespress?

Hespress is a Moroccan news site. Its Arabic site is at hespress.com, its French edition at fr.hespress.com, and it has an English edition.^[1][2] The English edition's about page describes itself as operating “Under its publisher MarocAds and as the English service of Morocco's prominent Arabic-speaking media platform, Hespress”.^[2] That is the outlet's account of itself. The Arabic site's about page, headed “عن هسبريس”, states: “تنتمي هسبريس إلى شركة MarocAds وتضم أكثر من 100 صحافي ومراسل”; in English, that Hespress belongs to the company MarocAds and has more than 100 journalists and correspondents.^[3] No register entry for MarocAds, and no record of its shareholders, was retrieved.

The French edition's footer reads “Tous droits réservés au réseau Hespress 2026 ©”.^[4]

Sport sits on paths of the parent sites: hespress.com/sport in Arabic and fr.hespress.com/sport in French.^[1][4]

What does Hespress cover?

Arabic sports path. On 25 and 26 September 2026 the Arabic sports path led with football: “تغييرات واسعة في مديرية التحكيم”, on changes in the refereeing directorate; an Oujda derby played without the Mouloudia's supporters; and the national coach on a player's injury.^[1][5] On the evening of 26 September 2026 the same path carried results from the opening round of the professional league, among them Wydad Témara's win over the Wydad at the Stade Donor, the CODM's win over the DHJ and Union Touarga's win in the derby against the FUS, as well as items on the national team leaving for its away qualifier, on billiards in Marrakech, and a report headlined “بوتسوانا تنسحب من ملف "كان 2028"”, on Botswana withdrawing from the bid file for the Africa Cup of Nations 2028.^[5]

French sports path. On the same dates the French section carried “Botola Pro D2 : résultats, suite du programme et classement”, “Football : vaste coup de balai de la Direction de l'arbitrage”, “Elim CAN 2027 : La CAF salue l'entrée réussie des Lions de l'Atlas”, items on Moroccan players abroad and on the national team's departure for qualifying matches, and an item reporting the election of Bouchra Kadiri as vice-president of the International Chess Federation.^[4]

English sports section. Hespress English runs its own sports section. Between 24 and 26 September 2026 it carried “Morocco opens AFCON 2027 qualifying with 2-0 win over Gabon”, “Morocco vs Gabon: When and where to watch 2027 AFCON qualifier”, “Atlas Lions overtake Brazil to reclaim fifth place in FIFA ranking” and “Morocco head to South Africa for second AFCON 2027 qualifier”, alongside European football news.^[6]

The league. Hespress's French edition reported on 28 August 2026 that the Ligue nationale de football professionnel (LNFP) had set 24 September 2026 as the start of the 2026–27 season of the first and second divisions, which it named “Botola Pro « Inwi »”, and that the clubs of both divisions had the complete calendar.^[7]

How large is Hespress's audience?

No audited audience figure for hespress.com or its editions was retrieved.

Hespress English describes Hespress as “Morocco's top viewed media”, and itself as “attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors to its various platforms and social media accounts”.^[2] The Arabic about page describes Hespress as “الجريدة الإلكترونية الأولى بالمغرب”, the first electronic newspaper in Morocco.^[3] All three are the outlet's own claims, with no measurement body named, and none is adopted.

Since when has Hespress existed?

The Arabic about page dates Hespress's launch to 2007: “منذ انطلاقتها عام 2007”, since its launch in 2007. That is the outlet's own account, and no independent source for it was retrieved.^[3]

Hespress English states: “Hespress English was created in 2021”. The same page cites “over 14 years experience providing breaking news, comprehensive coverage and debates from Morocco and beyond, in both Arabic and French”.^[2]

Why does Hespress matter in Morocco's sport?

Hespress publishes sports news in Arabic and French on paths of its two main sites, covering the national team, the professional league's first and second divisions and refereeing, and it reports the league organiser's decisions, such as the 2026–27 start date.^[1][4][7]

Reporters Without Borders, whose 2026 index places Morocco at “105/ 180, Score : 50.55”, writes: “The diversity of the Moroccan media landscape is only a facade. The media does not reflect the diversity of political opinion in the country.” It names as independent media still operating “the news sites Lakome, Badil, and Enass”; its entry, as read, does not name Hespress.^[8] Those are RSF's words.