In 2025, Morocco will host the African Cup of Nations (CAN), a competition awaited by an entire continent. Five years later, he will co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal. If these two meetings arouse immense national pride, they also involve colossal logistical and infrastructural preparation. Between renovation of stadiums, construction of new enclosures and development of transport networks, the Kingdom is engaged in a race against time.
Morocco has several emblematic stadiums, but the requirements of international competitions require infrastructure that meets precise standards. In Casablanca, the Mohammed V Complex, inaugurated in 1983, is undergoing a complete renovation. This project, estimated at 220 million dirhams, includes arrangements to improve the comfort and safety of spectators. The work, launched after its closure in November 2023, should be finalized in time for the CAN scheduled from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026.
In Rabat, the Prince Moulay Abdallah Complex will undergo an equally significant facelift. This stadium, built in 1980, has been completely redesigned to raise its standards and meet the expectations of the 2025 African Cup of Nations (CAN), then the 2030 World Cup. Started in August 2023, the work should allow the new complex to have completely covered stands, underground parking lots, and a sophisticated lighting system.
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The stadiums of Ibn Batouta in Tangier, Adrar in Agadir, and those of Marrakech and Fez, for their part, will be subject to technical and logistical improvements. In Fez, for example, the athletics track of the large stadium, built in 2007, will be removed to bring the stands closer to the pitch. This upgrade work also extends to the capacity which will reach 49,200 spectators, lighting, lawns and digital connectivity, essential elements for global television broadcasts. Delivery of this stadium, which will eventually become the fourth largest in the kingdom, is scheduled for 2028.
A new star in the sporting landscape: the Grand Stade Hassan II
The flagship project of Moroccan sports infrastructure for these competitions undoubtedly remains the construction of the Grand Stade Hassan II, planned for El Mansouria, in the province of Benslimane, not far from Casablanca. With a capacity of 115,000 seats, it aims to become the largest football stadium in the world.
This project, beyond its symbolic scope, is part of a broader strategy of decentralization and the creation of regional economic centers. The stadium will be designed to host, upon completion in 2028, world-class sporting and cultural events. The timetable remains ambitious. The work, which will begin at the end of 2024, must be completed before the 2030 World Cup, for a projected budget of 5 billion dirhams.
Issues beyond sport
But these preparations are not without challenges. Meeting deadlines is a major concern, as is cost management and coordination between the different actors involved. Delays or budget overruns could tarnish the image of an ambitious and modern Morocco.
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In addition, hosting these events involves rigorous management of the environmental impact. Sustainability is a central subject, particularly in the construction of the Grand Stade Hassan II and the upgrade of existing infrastructure. Integrating environmentally friendly solutions could strengthen Morocco’s reputation as a responsible actor on the international scene.
A meeting with history
By hosting the CAN 2025 and co-organizing the 2030 World Cup, Morocco places itself at the heart of the global sports agenda. These events are an opportunity for the Kingdom to demonstrate its ability to manage competitions of such scale, while consolidating its economic and cultural influence.
Beyond the sporting spectacle, these projects are a promise of the future for Morocco, where the development of infrastructure becomes a lever for the whole of society. The challenge is immense, but so is the ambition. Morocco, in the midst of construction, is building much more than stadiums, it is building a bridge to a new era of modernity and national pride.
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