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Morocco has approved plans to build a massive sports stadium with a seating capacity of 100,000 people as part of multi-billion-dollar projects for co-hosting the 2030 FIFA world cup games, its prime minister has said.
Aziz Akhannouch said Morocco would “secure the organisation of the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal,” affirming the tournament as a structural national project rather than a one-off sporting event.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, Akhannouch described the joint hosting as a test of Morocco’s capacity to deliver large scale infrastructure on fixed timelines, at a moment when governments are competing for financing, construction capacity and long term investment partnerships.
“We are currently developing and building a modern rail network to improve connectivity between cities, particularly linking them to Marrakech,” Akhannouch said, adding that the goal was to facilitate movement for citizens and visitors while strengthening Morocco’s position as a global tourism destination.
The rail push builds on Morocco’s existing high speed line linking Tangier to Casablanca and Kenitra, which is already operational.
Extending service south to Marrakech would connect one of the country’s main tourism and event hubs to the national network, a gap that remains unresolved ahead of 2030.
Akhannouch said road infrastructure was also being expanded to improve access between stadiums and residential areas, allowing travel across the country from north to south and reducing pressure on existing corridors during major events.
“We are also building hospitals across the Kingdom and supporting education and health as two essential sectors,” Akhannouch said.
(Writing by N Saeed; Editing by Anoop isMenon)
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