FIFA Report Highlights Infrastructure Challenges for Tangier’s World Cup Bid

Looking at the candidate cities for the organization of the 2030 World Cup, FIFA gave Tangier a score of 2.6 out of 5 for transportation and 2.2 out of 5 for accommodation. This assessment reveals the structural challenges that the northern city must overcome if it really wants to host matches of this football showpiece. It must put an end to the machinations of the real estate lobbies. Their influence on urban planning trajectories, as well as the compatibility of development decisions with strategic needs, is causing enormous damage to the city.

As an illustration, the surroundings of the sports village, where the Grand Stade de Tangier is located, constitute a flagrant symbol of the domination of real estate interests over the urban expansion process. It was thus observed that areas such as Boukhalef or Achakar, which were reserved for economic and recreational activities until the early 2000s, have undergone radical transformations. These areas have indeed been opened up to anarchic urbanization, due to modifications influenced by the pressures of real estate lobbies.

As a result, the road network is congested by heavy traffic. In addition, there is a proliferation of shops and cafes on main roads like the Rabat road, without rigorous planning. This urban expansion reflects a fundamental dysfunction in the city’s management. In the eyes of civil and political actors, it is nothing less than a "diversion of sustainable development." The decisions that allowed this urbanization were motivated by the desire to make quick real estate profits, to the detriment of the strategic vision initially oriented towards the strengthening of economic and recreational activities in these areas, explained a municipal councilor in a recent publication.