Kingdom of Morocco, a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa, is building a $500 million mega-stadium outside Casablanca that could become the world’s largest football venue as the North African country seeks to secure the final of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

The Grand Stade Hassan II, being constructed in El Mansouria, about 40 kilometres from Casablanca, is expected to accommodate 115,000 spectators when completed in late 2028. The project forms part of Morocco’s preparations to co-host the 2030 tournament with Spain and Portugal.

For Morocco, however, the project extends beyond the World Cup. The country is positioning the stadium as a long-term sporting, tourism and commercial asset capable of attracting visitors and hosting major events well after the tournament.

Morocco’s $500 million bet on sports infrastructure

The Grand Stade Hassan II is being developed across a 100-hectare site and will form part of a broader sports and entertainment complex.

The development is planned to include a 25,000-seat athletics stadium, four training pitches, a multisports hall, gymnastics facilities, an Olympic swimming pool and a conference centre.

Hospitality will also form a major part of the project. The stadium complex is expected to feature five levels of hospitality facilities capable of accommodating approximately 12,000 VIP and premium guests.

The scale of the development reflects Morocco’s strategy of using major sporting events to accelerate investment in infrastructure while strengthening its position as a destination for international sports and tourism.

Morocco targets 2030 World Cup final

The World Cup final is the biggest prize in Morocco’s plans for the stadium.

FIFA’s approved bid documentation for the Spain-Portugal-Morocco proposal identified the Grand Stade Hassan II, Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu and Barcelona’s Camp Nou as the three venues capable of meeting the 80,000-seat requirement for the tournament’s opening match and final.

All three stadiums received a 4.3 out of 5 rating for stadium quality in FIFA’s bid evaluation.

Reports by mid-2026 indicated that Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu was emerging as the leading candidate to host the final. Moroccan officials, however, disputed suggestions that the decision had been finalized, while FIFA had not formally confirmed the venue.

Morocco continues to position the Hassan II stadium as a purpose-built contender. Architect Tarik Oualalou has said the venue was designed with the 2030 World Cup final in mind.

Stadium draws from Moroccan heritage

The architectural concept is intended to give the stadium an identity beyond football.

Designed by Populous in collaboration with Paris-based Oualalou + Choi, the venue takes inspiration from the moussem, a traditional Moroccan festival associated with large communal gatherings and tents.

Its design incorporates a translucent aluminium lattice roof and elevated gardens surrounding the stadium, creating a structure intended to combine Moroccan architectural heritage with modern sports infrastructure.

That design could also help Morocco establish the stadium as a landmark capable of attracting tourists and supporting hospitality and commercial activity.

Morocco plans life after the World Cup

Morocco is also planning for the stadium’s use after the 2030 tournament.

The national football team is expected to play at the venue, while Raja CA and Wydad AC, two of Morocco’s biggest football clubs, are planned to become post-World Cup tenants.

That approach is designed to prevent the stadium from becoming an underused mega-project once the global spotlight moves away from Morocco.

Regular football matches, athletics events, conferences, hospitality operations and other sporting activities could provide the complex with multiple sources of activity and revenue.