Morocco Races to Upgrade Cities for 2030 World Cup Co-Hosting Bid

As part of the 2030 World Cup, the Moroccan authorities have launched a series of works to strengthen the infrastructure of the six cities that are to host this global football event. These are Casablanca (Hassan II Stadium in Benslimane), Agadir, Marrakech, Fez, Tangier, and Rabat (Moulay Abdellah Complex). The Minister of the Interior recently instructed the walis to ensure the realization of the ongoing projects in these cities.

The government plans to accelerate the pace of work by allocating a significant budget line as of 2025 to the implementation of a "Support Program" for these cities. This program aims to "ensure the preparation of the six cities by strengthening their attractiveness and developing their vital infrastructure and facilities over the next six years," said Aziz Akhannouch, during the presentation of the 2025 Finance Bill.

In a statement to Hespress, Younes Eteib, a researcher specialized in territorial governance and local development issues, insisted on the need "to make the national territory, whether in the cities that are candidates to host the World Cup matches or in other cities of our country, able to host the event and provide all the requirements to welcome the large crowds and the tourist delegations accompanying the participating teams".

The expert called for "seriousness" in the implementation of the ongoing projects in these cities. "On the one hand, time is running out, and we are required to respect the standards of quality and seriousness in the management of this file. On the other hand, the preparation of the World Cup is an opportunity to accelerate all development projects, modernize the management and execution methods of projects, and lift all restrictions on private investment related to the World Cup project," he said.

In the same vein, Tarik Moudden, an expert in territorial development, assured that "hosting the 2030 World Cup is a propitious opportunity to highlight the image of Moroccan territories with integrated development," noting that beyond the construction of stadiums and infrastructure, "the territorial promotion of these large cities in urban and demographic terms" remains a challenge to be met. The expert called for putting "the issue of water scarcity" and "the human/population" at the center of project management.