The Royal Morocco Football Federation (RMFF) confirmed in a statement that they had submitted their expression of interest to world football's governing body.

It is the fifth time the country has attempted to secure the hosting rights for the World Cup after unsuccessful bids in 1994, 1998, 2006 and 2010.

Morocco are the only challenger to the joint bid from the United States, Canada and Mexico, the overwhelming favourite to be named as the hosts of the 2026 tournament.

The two bids must submit their official bid books by March 2018.

A bid from the African nation had been widely expected and gained further traction when Confederation of African Football (CAF) Executive Committee member Amaju Pinnick claimed last month that they would enter the race.

Pinnick, President of the Nigerian Football Federation, also suggested the CAF would be fully behind the Moroccan attempt.

Morocco were able to submit a candidacy for the 2026 World Cup, which will be the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 teams, after FIFA's Council rejected a proposal from Canada, Mexico and the US to fast-track their bid in May.

FIFA instead opted to keep the bidding window open for a further three months and gave other interested countries until today to confirm their intention to bid.

The expansion of the event from 32 to 48 teams is thought to have put Morocco at a disadvantage compared with the North American bid.

The country may need to rely on a co-host to ensure they have the necessary infrastructure capable of hosting a 48-team tournament.

The expedited process for the 2026 event will see the host nation decided at next year's FIFA Congress on June 13 in Moscow, held prior to the opening match of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Countries from the member associations of the CAF, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, the South American Football Confederation and the Oceania Football Confederation were invited to bid.

As part of current World Cup rotation rules, UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation are not eligible as Russia and Qatar are hosting the 2018 and 2022 editions respectively.

They will be granted the opportunity to launch an attempt to stage the competition if any of the candidates for 2026 fail to meet FIFA's requirements.

Morocco are bidding to become only the second African hosts of FIFA's flagship quadrennial event and main money-spinner after South Africa staged the 2010 competition.

"The interested member associations will now move on to officially register their bids and agree to the terms and conditions of the enhanced bidding process that will select the venue of the first FIFA World Cup to be played with 48 teams," FIFA said in a statement.