The World Cup Blueprint
Stadium specs, transport corridors, hotel capacity — the infrastructure build for 2030
Six cities. Six stadiums. The infrastructure programme for the 2030 FIFA World Cup is the largest coordinated construction project in Moroccan history. The scope extends far beyond football — it encompasses transport, accommodation, telecommunications, and urban development across the entire Atlantic corridor.
The Grand Stade de Casablanca is the centrepiece. At 115,000 seats, it will be the largest stadium in Africa and one of the five largest in the world. The design — by a consortium including international and Moroccan firms — features a retractable roof and will host the final. Location: the Casa Finance City district, connected to the tramway, commuter rail, and the future high-speed line.
The transport layer is transformative. The high-speed rail extension from Casablanca to Marrakech — the most critical infrastructure project — will connect the three largest cities in a single corridor. Airport expansions at all six host cities will increase capacity by millions of passengers. The autoroute network — already one of the best in Africa — will be extended and upgraded.
Hotel capacity is the bottleneck. Morocco needs an estimated 80,000 additional rooms to host the tournament. The hotel construction programme is concentrated in Casablanca, Marrakech, and Tangier, but all six cities are expanding capacity. Alternative accommodation — riads, guesthouses, and short-term rentals — will absorb overflow.
Telecommunications infrastructure must support global broadcast, fan connectivity, and security systems. 5G rollout is being accelerated. Stadium connectivity standards require dedicated high-bandwidth systems. The digital infrastructure built for the World Cup will serve Morocco's tech sector for decades.
The budget is debated. Official estimates place Morocco's World Cup-related spending at $5 billion. Independent analysts suggest the true figure — including infrastructure already planned but accelerated by the World Cup deadline — could reach $15 billion. Much of this spending would have happened eventually. The World Cup compresses the timeline.
Explore the full interactive module — with stadium specifications, transport maps, and the full infrastructure timeline — at Dancing with Lions: https://www.dancingwiththelions.com/data/world-cup-blueprint
Interactive Module
Data and visualisation by Dancing with Lions
