"Morocco's extraordinary run in the World Cup of course burnished the image of the country, which has been using soft power for years to make its mark on the international stage," said sports politics expert Moncef El Yazghi.
Support for the Atlas Lions surged as they battled their way to the semi-final of the football World Cup in Qatar -- the first Arab or African team ever to get so far.
Their popularity on the Arab street was helped by players and supporters brandishing Palestinian flags following Moroccan victories, to be seen by millions of live TV viewers worldwide.
That in turn was a diplomatic coup for Morocco against arch-rival and neighbour Algeria, which for decades had seen itself as North Africa's main champion of the Palestinian cause.
The kingdom already had a track record of using "football diplomacy" to boost its ties with African countries, signing at least 30 cooperation deals with other federations, he added.
"The national team and the supporters only confirmed that in Qatar," he said, noting that Palestinians had even made up chants glorifying the Moroccan team.
Morocco's diplomatic gains go well beyond the Palestinian cause and the Arab world.
"Morocco's extraordinary run in the World Cup of course burnished the image of the country, which has been using soft power for years to make its mark on the international stage," said sports politics expert Moncef El Yazghi.
Just two years ago, Rabat sparked criticism across the Arab world for re-establishing ties with Israel.
But international relations expert Tajeddine Houssaini said the agreement, part of a string of US-mediated normalization deals, "doesn't mean that Morocco has turned its back on the Palestinian cause."
Morocco will also be hoping to convert its raised profile into economic gains, especially for tourism.
The sector is one of the country's top employers, but it was battered by the Covid-19 pandemic and the global economic downturn exacerbated by Russia's war in Ukraine.
The kingdom has yet to see a return to the 13 million visitors it welcomed in 2019.
Lahcen Zelmat, head of the FNIH national hotels federation, said Morocco had an "excellent opportunity".
The team's successes "have given us great visibility", he said, noting Morocco was "familiar for Western Europeans but not necessarily among Asian or Latin American tourists".
"Today it's known all around the world, but we will need to work hard to make the most of this unexpected publicity."