Casablanca’s World Cup Makeover: From Slums to Skyscrapers, City Races to Become Africa’s Dubai

Giant stadiums, high-speed trains, modern shopping centers... Casablanca is undergoing an accelerated transformation in anticipation of the 2025 Morocco CAN and the 2030 World Cup, to the point of being described as a "mini-Dubai" by the French newspaper Le Monde. The city has gotten rid of its slums, as well as beggars and homeless people or street vendors and carts that tarnish the city’s image. The inhabitants of the slums have been rehoused on the outskirts.

In an article published on July 6, the French media reports that in terms of infrastructure, the construction of the Grand Stade Hassan II, with a capacity of 115,000 spectators, is progressing at a steady pace. The motorway and rail network is being modernized with the extension of high-speed lines, not to mention the expansion of the airport, the rehabilitation of the port, and the development of gardens, squares and markets.

This urban "renaissance" is felt everywhere in the economic capital of the kingdom, which has become an open-air construction site. Several major projects are underway in the city: construction of hotels and underground car parks, restoration of old markets such as the popular Bab Marrakech market, creation of new avenues such as the "Royal Avenue" which will connect the Hassan II Mosque to the city center, etc.

However, this dynamic is causing a strong controversy. Some believe that these significant changes aim to enhance the image of Casablanca as an international tourist destination, but do not contribute to reducing social inequalities or improving the living conditions of vulnerable and low-income populations. "The city is now treated like a beautiful exterior set that conceals a creeping poverty within," lamented local officials and elected representatives.