Morocco, one of the most fanatical football countries, plans to build the world’s largest football stadium…
The Atlas Lions have commissioned the designers of Tottenham’s cutting-edge stadium, Populous, to create a stunning stadium for the 2030 World Cup.
The project, dubbed the Grand Stade de Casablanca, is anticipated to result in the world’s largest football stadium, with a staggering capacity of 115,000. Morocco, along with Spain and Portugal, will host the 2030 tournament, and it is believed that this would put pressure on FIFA to decide where to hold the final.
The Santiago Bernabeu and the Nou Camp are both in contention to host the final, with the former having just been renovated and the latter still under construction.
Following the World Cup, Morocco’s stadium will host two local teams.
Following the acceptance of public finance in October, preparation work has already begun on a 100-hectare site in El Mansouria, 24 kilometers north of Casablanca and near Benslimane Airport.
Oualalou and Choi, a Moroccan architecture practice, are joining UK-based Populous on the project.
Their winning design is believed to be inspired by a local ritual known as a “moussem” – an annual social gathering of more than 30 tribes from southern Morocco and other parts of Northwest Africa.
Populous revealed that the stadium construction will be situated beneath a big, tented dome that rises from a woodland setting around the pitch.
According to company president Francois Clement, the project represents a “cornerstone” in the development of Morocco’s football infrastructure.
He stated: “The stadium will meet FIFA criteria, allowing it to host significant games in the world’s most renowned international championships, including the World Cup 2030…
“It will be an immense asset to the country, elevating Morocco to the highest global platform of sporting infrastructure development.”
Plans for the stadium have been in the works for some years, with a development agreement inked in 2018.
According to Morocco World News, the project’s greatest projected budget is 393 million pounds.
However, considering the project’s size and relative cost, it is reasonable to expect that the cost will exceed this.
Members of the consortium that chose Populous and Co have worked on projects like Qatar’s Lusail Sports Arena, the United Arab Emirates’ Khalifa Stadium, and Heathrow Airport.
