Morocco’s Field of Opportunities Ahead of the 2030 World Cup
- Einat Levi
- Sep 1
- 5 min read
Morocco's consistent policy views sports as a key driver of social, economic, and educational development.
ByEINAT LEVI
AUGUST 5, 2025 02:07
In recent years, soccer in Morocco has experienced a remarkable ascent. At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Morocco’s men’s national team made history by reaching the semi-finals. A year later, the women’s national team qualified for the Women’s World Cup in Australia, clear evidence of the growing integration and success of women in Moroccan sports.
These moments of triumph extended beyond the pitch, elevating Morocco’s global standing and inspiring millions of fans across Africa, the Arab world, and beyond.
Behind these achievements stands a consistent policy led by King Mohammed VI, who views sports – and soccer in particular – as a key driver of social, economic, and educational development. This vision has been implemented through investments in sports infrastructure, professional training systems, and youth empowerment.
The year ahead for Morocco
Currently, Morocco is looking ahead. Later this year, it will host the Africa Cup of Nations, and in 2030, it will co-host the FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, the first time a North African nation will do so.
For Morocco, these events are not only celebrations of sport but also strategic opportunities to leave a lasting impact on its economy and society while strengthening regional influence. Morocco, over the coming years, represents a true “field of opportunities” for investment and business across sectors such as tourism, infrastructure, logistics, innovation, construction, real estate, communications, and the sports industry.
Morocco is wasting no time. In April 2024, Rabat hosted the “World Football Summit,” bringing together leaders from the global soccer and sports industry. The summit welcomed more than 1,000 participants from around 50 countries, including soccer clubs, investors, federations, and sports companies, with the aim of expanding partnerships and propelling the sector forward.
The 2030 World Cup presents Morocco with immense opportunities and costs. The overall cost of hosting the tournament is estimated at $15-20 billion across the three host nations. The Moroccan government has launched an investment plan totaling approximately $15b., encompassing both domestic and foreign direct investments. The plan focuses on upgrading infrastructure, including the construction of new stadiums in major cities, developing high-speed rail lines, improving highways, and expanding international airports.
One of the flagship projects is the Hassan II Stadium in Benslimane, designed to seat 115,000 and featuring a tent-shaped roof in homage to Morocco’s traditional Moussem ceremonies, which symbolize solidarity and community. Additionally, over $1b. will be invested in enhancing the road network, and $9.5b. will go toward upgrading the rail system, including the extension of the Al Boraq high-speed train line, the acquisition of around 150 new trains, and the construction of 40 new stations.
As part of this development, Morocco is receiving strong support from international institutions and strategic partners. In April 2024, the African Development Bank announced €350 million in funding, with an additional €650m. committed. The French Development Agency provided a €781m. loan to finance new high-speed train carriages.
The World Bank has pledged support for projects tied to urban mobility, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure in the host cities. Additionally, the United Kingdom, United States, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar have expressed interest in supporting Morocco through direct investments, grants, and assistance loans.
In the tourism sector, Morocco is expected to welcome around 26 million tourists during the World Cup year, potentially generating approximately $12b. in revenue for the local economy. To meet this demand, the country is investing in the development of new hotels and the expansion of existing ones, aiming to add some 150,000 hotel rooms.
These efforts include improving tourism services, developing new tourist sites, and preserving historical landmarks. In anticipation of a surge in job creation, Morocco is advancing professional training programs across relevant sectors. Meanwhile, the construction industry is forecast to grow at an average annual rate of 3.8% over the coming years.
The opportunities opening for Morocco
Beyond infrastructure, the World Cup offers Morocco a powerful opportunity to foster a thriving innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, particularly in the six cities that will host matches: Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakesh, Fez, Agadir, and Tangier. This includes the integration of smart city technologies to manage transport, lighting, urban safety, telecommunications, and data-driven environmental solutions.
In the communications sector, Morocco’s mobile network infrastructure will be upgraded to 5G, with expected coverage reaching 70% by 2030. In the emerging sport-tech sector, Morocco is promoting the creation of accelerators, investment funds, and partnerships with global innovation institutions.
On a societal level, soccer serves as a source of inspiration for the younger generation, reinforcing the connection between sports, education, and civic values. In recent years, soccer academies have been established throughout Morocco and are affiliated with leading academic institutions.
These academies train young players and equip them with the tools for professional success, focusing on personal development, discipline, and teamwork, thereby contributing to youth empowerment. They also facilitate the creation of international connections through sports diplomacy, especially via cooperation agreements with peer academies around the globe, particularly in Africa.
The World Cup also brings considerable challenges. The global arena and the Middle East remain mired in ongoing crises, making regional stability essential for the success of an event spanning three countries and two continents.
Domestically, Morocco faces the challenge of balancing infrastructure investments with the immediate needs of its citizens and training a large workforce within a relatively short time frame to meet massive logistical demands. Its main challenge will be ensuring these investments yield sustainable, long-term transformation.
At the regional level, the 2030 World Cup presents a unique opportunity to deepen economic and business cooperation across the Middle East and North Africa. This is especially true following US President Donald Trump’s reelection and the renewed commitment to ending conflict and expanding and deepening the Abraham Accords.
For Israeli companies specializing in technology, innovation, smart cities, transportation, communications, security, cyber, and sport-tech, Morocco’s preparations for 2030 open significant avenues for collaboration and for renewing the momentum of relations with Morocco.
Such cooperation would not be without precedent but rather a continuation of a longstanding tradition of interfaith solidarity and partnership in Moroccan football throughout the 20th century, when Jews and Muslims played side by side in national, city, and neighborhood teams.
In that spirit, the field of opportunities the World Cup offers Morocco could become an arena where diverse actors come together to create a new regional momentum.
The writer is a strategic consultant for building partnerships in the MENA region and a policy fellow at the Israel-Africa Relations Institute. She had previously headed economic affairs at the Israeli Mission to Morocco.