Hassan II Stadium Threatens Santiago Bernabeu's Dream for 2030 World Cup

Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca has entered the competition circle strongly to host the 2030 World Cup final, posing a direct challenge to Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, which remains the top contender for FIFA.

The Spanish newspaper 'AS', which visited the project site for the first time, reported that the giant Moroccan stadium is being constructed between Casablanca and Rabat, amidst a massive project aimed at creating one of the largest stadiums in the world with a capacity of up to 115,000 spectators.

Yasser Soussi, Deputy General Manager of the National Agency for Public Equipment, explained that construction work has reached 40% so far, with expectations to complete the project by December 2027. He noted that about 5,000 workers are currently participating in the construction, while the number could rise to 10,000 workers in the upcoming stages.

The same source added that all companies involved in executing the project are Moroccan, as part of a plan to present a modern stadium that fully meets FIFA's requirements.

The stadium will include three main levels with different capacities in addition to 9,000 seats reserved for hospitality and VIPs, which gives the Moroccan bid additional strength in the race to host the World Cup final.

The report confirmed that the project cost has reached about one billion euros so far, while architect Tarek Oualalou, who is supervising the stadium design in collaboration with the company 'Populous', clarified that the project is not limited to building a stadium only, but includes creating an integrated urban area with highways and modern transportation lines.

Project officials also emphasized that the main goal is to host the 2030 World Cup final, stressing that the design of the new stadium provides greater flexibility to meet FIFA's requirements compared to current stadiums.