*** As Hassan II Stadium takes shape
By Harry Awurumibe, who was in Morocco
You can call the Kingdom of Morocco an El Dorado, and you will not be wrong. You may also describe the North African country as a New Mecca of Football in Africa and the world, you will not be missing the point.
How else can you describe a country, a middle-income African nation with her major resources being agriculture, phosphate minerals, and tourism, no oil resources like Nigeria but where everything, I mean everything, is working perfectly well.
After sojourning for nearly one month in Morocco during the just-concluded 13th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), one can confidently say that the country can rank equal if not better than some nations in Europe, Asia and Americas infrastructural development, economy, etc.
Morocco’s economy, healthcare, transportation, tourism, and energy sector, among others, are booming, and the majority of her citizens earn decent wages while others are gainfully employed in the private and public sectors.
In a nutshell, Morocco’s relative success across various sectors stems from a combination of factors, including political stability; strategic geographic location as a gateway country between Europe and Africa; economic diversification, and comprehensive development strategies.
These elements have contributed to Morocco’s attractiveness as an investment destination and its progress in areas like industry, tourism, green energy, and sports industry, which has now turned Morocco to a New Mecca of Football in Africa, and by extension, the world.
For want of space, Morocco is heavily investing in sports infrastructure, particularly stadiums across the Kingdom to support its hosting of international sports competitions, including co-hosting of the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal, as well as to enhance its reputation as a sporting hub in Africa.
The massive infrastructure developments in Morocco are also aimed at boosting tourism, creating jobs, and promoting economic growth just as the hosting of the 2030 World Cup, which requires significant upgrades to existing stadiums and the construction of new ones, have ensured that Morocco is building more and more football facilities to compliment the existing stadiums.
The country is investing in modernizing its sports infrastructure, including stadiums, transportation networks, and urban facilities, to meet FIFA’s standards.
This includes building the world’s largest football stadium in the world near Casablanca. It is sited in Benslimane between the cities of Casablanca and Rabat.
Called Hassan II Stadium, the arena, once completed in 2028, will be used mostly for football matches and will serve as the home of the Morocco national football team. It is also planned to have a capacity of 115,000 spectators.
Hassan II Stadium will also replace Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca as the home stadium of Morocco’s largest clubs, Raja CA and Wydad AC to host their domestic and international matches.
The project was initially planned for Morocco’s bid for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, alongside four other new stadiums, but the stadium was put on hold due to Morocco losing their bid to South Africa.
It was also proposed for Morocco’s bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but Morocco would also lose to the United (Canada, Mexico, and the United States) bid. Its construction was finally confirmed in October 2023 after the announcement of Morocco’s hosting of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal. The stadium is named after Hassan II of Morocco, father of the current ruler, King Mohammed VI.
Aside from the above-mentioned stadiums, both the urban cities and rural areas in Morocco boast of standard sports infrastructure, which is the reason Morocco has hosted and is still hosting numerous international events, further solidifying her reputation as a sporting venue of Africa.
From the big cities of Rabat to Casablanca, Fez, Agadir, Marrakech, Tangier, and regional cities of Oujda, Berkane, Kenitra, Mohammédia, Mekmes, among others, sports infrastructure litters every street corner for the use of the citizens.
In deed, Morocco boasts of several cities with impressive stadiums, particularly in preparation for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final and 2030 FIFA World Cup as key cities, which include Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, Agadir, Fez, and Tangier, each with notable venues to host the two events.
For example, the City of Casablanca has many international stadiums, including Stade Mohammed V, a historic stadium with a capacity of 45,000, Stade Père Jégo 10, capacity and 18, 600 capacity Larbi Zaouli Stadium, where Nigeria’s Super Falcons played five matches in the just ended WAFCON.
In Rabat, Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium also called Olympique de Rabat, with a capacity of 69,500, one of the largest stadiums in Morocco, and a prominent venue for the national teams Atlas Lions and Lionesses hosted the WAFCON 2024 final between Nigeria and Morocco.
Other Rabat stadiums include a new Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium near the existing one, and the new facility should be ready in 2025 and will be one of the venues for AFCON 2025 and the 2030 World Cup.
The city also features Stade Al Barid (18,000); Stade Olympique Annexe Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah (21,000); and Complexe Sportif Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan (22,000).
In Marrakech, Grand Stade de Marrakech, with a capacity of 45,240, has previously hosted FIFA Club World Cup matches just as Stade El Harti is another important arena in Marrakech while Agadir boasts of Adrar stadium, which is undergoing renovations for the AFCON 2025 and the World Cup, it can accommodate 45,480 spectators.
Also, in Fez, a 35,468 capacity Complexe Sportif de Fès awaits fans of Nigeria’s Super Eagles in December when AFCON 2025 kicks off while in Tangier, Grand Stade de Tanger, with a capacity of 45,000 spectators is another key venue for major tournaments holding in Morocco.
Yet, there are many other stadiums like Municipal Stadium in Berkane, Stade El Bachir in Mohammédia, Honour stadium in Oudja, Stade d’Honneurs in Meknès, Stade de Municipal Kenitra, Saniat Rmel in Tetouan, and Stade 18 du Novembre in Khemisset among others.
In all, Morocco boasts of no fewer than 40 functional world-class stadiums that can be used for international competitions at short notice, hence the country has become a New Mecca of Football in Africa with many international tournaments billed to hold in the every year until 2030 FIFA World Cup final.
Furthermore, Mr. Fouzi Lekjaa, the President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF)
since 2014 and first Vice PresiConfederCAF since 2025, who has also been a member of the FIFA Council since 2021, has taken Moroccan football to greater heights by changing the way football is ran in his country by embarking on policies and projects that have transformed Morocco as an emerging football powerhouse in Africa and globally.
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Lakjaa, who was on October 7, 2021, appointed Minister Delegate for the Budget in his home country, knows much about finances, and has used football as a tool to boost Morocco’s tourism and the economy even as he is away that hosting major sporting events is expected to attract a large number of tourists, which will boost the hospitality sector and related industries.
The influx of visitors and international media will also promote Moroccan products and businesses, potentially attracting foreign investment while the infrastructure projects themselves have created jobs and stimulate economic activity.
Morocco has a strong desire to develop its football program and has been investing in grassroots development and training programs.
The FRMF under Lekjaa is actively involved in supporting other African federations through donations of equipment and training programs.
The country has also established a women’s football league and a competitive national team, showcasing its commitment to gender equality in sports just as it is on record that the federation in conjunction with King Mohammed VI funds Morocco’s women’s football league and pay the monthly salaries of club’s players. What a gesture.
Morocco’s efforts in football development align with King Mohammed VI’s focus on prioritizing Africa in his foreign policy even as Morocco’s investments in sports infrastructure are also part of a larger regional competition with other North African countries like Tunisia and Egypt, all vying for recognition as premier sports and tourism destinations.
From the above narration, one will not but chuckle when it is said that Nigeria is the “Giant of Africa.” How ? Where? When?
Truly, Morocco is the New Mecca of Football in Africa if not in the world.
