Morocco’s major airports are to be overhauled and extended under a new multibillion-euro deal between the national airport authority and the government, ahead of the 2030 World Cup – an event it will finally host alongside Portugal and Spain after six previous failed bids.
On 24 July 2025, the North African Kingdom announced a five-year investment programme that will see 38 billion dirhams (€8.8 billion) allocated to the airport project, 25 billion dirhams for airport expansion and 13 billion dirhams given over to land acquisition and maintenance.
With an aim to reach an airport capacity of 80 million passengers by the World Cup, more than doubling the current 38 million figure, the government and the national airport office or ONDA (Office national des aéroports or المكتب الوطني للمطارات) have already put out a call for expressions of interest in the tender to build a new terminal in Casablanca. When that goes ahead the airport will be able to handle 20 million more passengers than now.
L'ONDA place la livraison bagages au cœur de sa stratégie de performance. #ONDA #CasablancaMohammedVAirport #Aéroports2030 pic.twitter.com/RyBPlOCADB
— ONDA (@ondaofficiel) July 24, 2025
It’s no coincidence of course that, by then, thanks to World Cup investment, Casablanca will be home to the world’s largest football stadium, the Grand Stade Hassan II currently under construction. With a tent-like appearance “deeply rooted in Moroccan culture” and “the topography and landscapes of Morocco”, according to the designers Populous and Paris-based architects Oualalou + Choi, once the development is finished it will be able to welcome 115,000 people.
The airport improvement project comes on top of a 96-billion-dirham (now €22-billion) national rail expansion, greenlit by King Mohammed VI and launched in April 2025. It will encompass several separate rail lines, including intercity, urban, and high speed trains. The latter will run from Kenitra on the Atlantic coast to Marrakesh, serving Rabat and Casablanca as they go at speeds of 350 kilometres per hour. It will cut the Marrakesh to Tangier journey time to just two hours and 40 minutes.
His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, launched, on Thursday at the Rabat-Agdal train station, the 430-kilometer Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed Rail Line.
— Morocco In Finland (@MoroccoInFIN) April 24, 2025
The Kenitra-Marrakech High Speed Rail Line project reflects the Sovereign’s enlightened Vision of improving the… pic.twitter.com/trT9YsNUzK
In an economy still very dependent on agriculture and 50% services, it’s all part of wider moves to grow revenues and attract investment, boosting the country’s tourism industry to position Morocco in the top 15 global destinations. It has already gained soaring popularity with British holidaymakers, driven by an improving hospitality sector and increased connectivity up to nearly 20,000 flights this year alone.
In signs that the strategy is working, Morocco hit a record 17.4 million foreign visitors in 2024, a 20% increase year-on-year. By 2030, it anticipates another nearly 50% jump to 26 million arrivals.
