Morocco Expands High-Speed Rail Network Ahead of 2030 World Cup

Speaking at the study day organized by the civil engineering club of the Mohammadia School of Engineers (EMI) in Rabat, Badreddine Bertoul, director of infrastructure at the LGV pole of the National Railway Office (ONCF), indicated that the extension of the high-speed rail network will extend from Kenitra to Agadir and will increase the beneficiary rate of the rail network to 59%.

The project aims to reduce travel time between Tangier and Rabat, Tangier and Casablanca, and Tangier and Agadir. It will also make it easier to connect, using fast regional trains, the stadiums that will host World Cup 2030 matches in the cities of Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech. The extension of the TGV network also plans the construction of 12 new modern stations for the RER network in Rabat and Casablanca, recalls Hespress.

Regarding the upgrading of the stadiums, the work is progressing well. Ikram Sahar, an engineer at the National Company for the Realization and Management of Sports Facilities Sonarges, said that ultimately, the Grand Stade de Tanger will have a capacity of 75,600 seats, compared to 65,000 currently. As for the Grand Stade de Marrakech, its capacity will reach 45,000 seats by 2030.

The Grand Stade d’Agadir will have 46,000 seats, and the sports complex in Fez will see its capacity increase to 55,700 seats. Let’s not forget the Grand Stade Hassan II, under construction in Benslimane, near Casablanca, with a capacity of 115,000 seats. The stadiums will be renovated according to the standards of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA, in view of the 2025 CAN Morocco and the 2030 World Cup.