Morocco Faces Telecom Challenges Ahead of 2030 World Cup Co-Hosting

In the eyes of observers, the preparations for Morocco’s co-hosting of the 2030 World Cup should not only include infrastructure related to equipment such as stadiums, roads, airports and hotels, but should also extend to the telecommunications sector, as the infrastructure of Spain and Portugal "remains stronger" compared to that of the kingdom. Some data testifies to this: the fiber optic coverage rate up to homes (FTTH) in Spain and Portugal is estimated at 84%, while this rate does not exceed 6% in Morocco. Spain has 28 cables (including 3 new ones), Portugal has 22 cables (including 6 new ones), while Morocco has only 6 (including 2 new ones) reaching its coasts.

According to IT development expert Hassan Kharjouj, the 2030 World Cup could have a positive impact on the telecommunications and Internet sector, with the presentation of affordable offers, from which the Moroccan citizen will benefit. "What can be presented are some data on prices and services, as some Spanish companies offer telecommunications and Internet services and others related to digital television networks, at a very reasonable price, allowing the customer to benefit from unlimited calls and ’50 gigs’ of Internet in addition to the 4G service with the possibility of introducing a high-speed line containing 300 megas, while obtaining a package including 60 channels that the citizen can watch for free for 6 months, and all these services are offered at the same price as the one available in Morocco for a single service, which shows a big difference," he explains.

The expert said that the three co-hosting countries of the 2030 World Cup are expected to offer incentive sales promotions as the tournament approaches. Morocco expects to welcome at least between 5 and 7 million visitors. While Kharjouj believes that the current infrastructure is sufficient for the number of Moroccan citizens, he notes, however, that the organization of a large-scale sporting event like the 2030 World Cup requires the development of telecommunications infrastructure in Morocco - especially in the cities where the competition will take place - and the entry of new companies into the market. "The FIFA specifications confirm the need to have a solid telecommunications infrastructure to broadcast the matches to a wide audience with high quality, and to allow everyone to be connected to the Internet network," concluded the expert.