Morocco’s Court of Auditors Warns of Financial Strain from World Cup Preparations

"These sporting events that our country is preparing for require considerable financial investments to improve infrastructure in the areas of sport, tourism, communication and transport. [...] These investments require the mobilization of significant financial resources, which could weigh on public finances," warned Zineb El Adaoui during a presentation of the Court’s activities for the year 2023-2024.

To read:

Morocco has launched major projects such as the modernization of stadiums, the expansion of airports in the six host cities, the strengthening of road infrastructure and the development of hotel, medical and telecommunications infrastructure as part of its preparations to co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal. The kingdom plans to renovate six football stadiums and build a new stadium with a capacity of over 115,000 spectators, at an estimated total cost of 20.5 billion dirhams ($2 billion) to host the 2030 World Cup.

In addition to the organization of these major events, there are other risks that threaten the depletion of Morocco’s public finances. On Wednesday, El Adaoui noted in an intervention before a joint session of the two houses of Parliament that public finances are facing increasing pressures, particularly due to several consecutive years of drought in Morocco, requiring significant and urgent investments estimated at 143 billion dirhams for the period 2020-2027, as part of the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Program.