World Cup 2030 Revives Plans for Morocco-Spain Tunnel Under Gibraltar Strait

Supporters of the Gibraltar Strait tunnel project expect the next 2030 World Cup, which Morocco, Spain and Portugal will co-host, to move things forward. This project, with an estimated budget of 6 billion euros, could be realized in about five years, according to the specialized railway website Railtech.com.

Initiated in 1981, the project was struggling to materialize. Two companies: a Moroccan SNED, and the Spanish Secegsa were tasked with carrying out studies after Hassan II and Juan Carlos I had signed a joint declaration of intent in this direction in 1980. In 2023, this project was relaunched during the 43rd high-level Morocco-Spain meeting. Last summer, Spain confirmed a fund of 2 million euros for a design study.

The stakeholders "are giving impetus to a project of maximum geostrategic importance" that would improve relations both between Spain and Morocco, and between Europe and Africa, said Raquel Sánchez, Minister of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda.