INTERSPORT partners with One Retail to return to Morocco, Casablanca rollout set for 2027

Image by INTERSPORT

INTERSPORT has signed a strategic partnership with One Retail, the retail arm of Moroccan conglomerate H&S Group, to bring the sporting goods chain back to Morocco ahead of the country’s co-hosting of the 2030 FIFA World Cup. The first stores are planned for Casablanca from the first half of 2027.

The companies did not disclose store numbers or the structure of the agreement. INTERSPORT said the partnership would combine its global retail expertise and international brand relationships with One Retail’s knowledge of the Moroccan market, with the aim of making sport more accessible through product range, expert advice and the in-store experience. The Bern-based group described the deal as another step in its international growth.

Morocco is not new ground for the brand

In 2014, INTERSPORT opened a 900-square-metre store in central Casablanca through a sub-licence held by INTERSPORT Spain, with former world champion Hicham El Guerrouj as its public face. The company had plans for around ten stores across Rabat, Marrakech, Agadir and Tangier, but the network never reached national scale. Wednesday’s announcement, which INTERSPORT frames as its “entry” into the market, is in practice a second attempt with a very different kind of partner.

One Retail launched in January, when H&S Invest Holding rebranded as H&S Group under chairman and chief executive Moncef Belkhayat. It has moved quickly. In less than a year, the platform has assembled Mr Bricolage Maroc, Flormar, Beauty For You, Venezia Ice, Dahab Coffee, Monoprix and Franprix. It has also set a 2030 target of MAD 10bn in revenue across 1,000 stores in 65 cities. Textile retail is one of its five stated divisions, and INTERSPORT gives that division a recognised sports brand.

One Retail’s distribution

A single-operator licence led by a celebrity partner had to fund each store independently. One Retail brings a group purchasing centre, landlord relationships across multiple retail formats and a mandate to expand quickly. For INTERSPORT, which relies on local operators rather than company-owned stores, the choice of partner is central to the strategy.

The timing is deliberate, Investment in stadiums, training centres and transport ahead of the 2030 World Cup could create opportunities for sports retailers as Morocco develops its sporting infrastructure and consumer market. Decathlon has already demonstrated the potential of the mass market. INTERSPORT will target the mid-market branded segment, where international sportswear names are competing for greater retail presence in North Africa.