Morocco plans to more-than-double its airport capacity from 38 million passengers to 80 million by 2030, when it will co-host the Fifa World Cup with Spain and Portugal, Reuters reports.
Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch told parliament that the target was part of the country’s efforts to use the World Cup to drive national development, tourism in particular.
Casablanca’s airport capacity will be expanded to 23 million passengers, while tourist hubs Marrakech and Agadir will have a capacity of 14 million and 6.3 million respectively, he said.
Morocco welcomed a record 15.9 million tourists in the first 11 months of 2024, surpassing the total in the entire previous year.
The country is also working to extend its high-speed rail network to Marrakech before the World Cup.
The Moroccan National Railways Office also aims to double the number of cities served by high-speed rail to 43, or 87% of the population, by 2040.
The prime minister also noted the expansion and renovation of 45 stadiums and training sites in the six cities that will host the World Cup matches, in addition to the construction of the world’s largest stadium, with 115,000 seats, near Casablanca.
Morocco is also hosting the Africa Cup of Nations football tournament in 2025.
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