Morocco targets nationwide legacy from 2030 World Cup, Lekjaa says

Morocco’s preparations for the 2030 World Cup are being framed as a national development project extending well beyond the construction and renovation of stadiums, according to Moroccan Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa.

The country’s plans include major investment in infrastructure, transport and urban development, with the aim of ensuring that the benefits of hosting the tournament reach areas across Morocco rather than being concentrated solely in the cities staging matches.

Lekjaa said Morocco’s bid to host the World Cup was the result of a long-term process that began in the late 1990s and formed part of a wider development path. That journey culminated in the country being awarded the right to stage the 2030 edition.

Speaking in comments reported by Moroccan website Hesport, Lekjaa described the next World Cup as an exceptional event because it will mark the centenary of the tournament’s creation. The competition will be held across two continents and three countries, with Morocco representing Africa as one of the host nations.

The tournament will be staged by Morocco, Spain and Portugal, while the centenary celebrations will also involve matches in South America. In its role as the African host, Morocco is preparing for an event with a broader geographical and historical significance than a conventional World Cup.

Lekjaa also revealed that the tournament’s hosting requirements include 38 sites for national teams to stay. The provision goes beyond the traditional model of limiting team bases to the cities where matches are played.

By making accommodation sites available in a wider range of locations, Morocco hopes to distribute more of the economic and developmental gains associated with the competition. Lekjaa said the country was not seeking to limit the World Cup’s impact to the six cities selected to host matches.

Instead, the intention is for the tournament to benefit the largest possible geographical area and leave a lasting effect across the kingdom.

The preparations are also linked to several large-scale structural projects, particularly in infrastructure and rail transport. Among the plans is an extension of Morocco’s high-speed railway to Marrakech.

There is also a longer-term direction to expand the rail network further towards Agadir, although the immediate focus remains on connecting the infrastructure needed for the 2030 tournament.

Morocco therefore sees the World Cup as a major milestone in its development programme. Its legacy is intended to include improvements to transport links, infrastructure and cities, rather than being limited to stadiums and other sporting facilities.

The country’s ambition is for those projects to continue providing benefits after the tournament has ended, ensuring that the effects of hosting the competition last beyond the years in which the matches are played.