On July 20, 2026, Moroccan Tourism Minister Fatima Zahra Amour announced an ambitious plan to increase the hotel capacity in the country by 60,000 beds, which represents approximately 20% of the current total. This expansion is aimed at preparing for Morocco's role in co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup, as reported by Reuters. The recent success of the Moroccan national team, which reached the quarter-finals in this year's World Cup and became the first African and Arab team to advance to the semi-finals in the tournament held in Qatar four years ago, has sparked positive publicity for the country.
Officials in Morocco are keen to leverage this renewed interest to secure lasting benefits for the tourism sector, which employs hundreds of thousands of Moroccans and contributes about 7% to the nation's GDP. Minister Amour emphasized that they view the 2030 World Cup as a catalyst rather than an end goal. To prepare for the tournament, the government is investing over 190 billion dirhams ($20.35 billion) to develop and expand infrastructure, including railways, roads, airports, and stadiums, as Morocco partners with Portugal and Spain to co-host the event.
According to official data, Morocco has already added 45,000 hotel beds over the past four years, bringing the total number to just over 300,000. The country welcomed nearly 20 million tourists last year, making it the most visited tourist destination in Africa, with aspirations to attract 26 million visitors by 2030. The Central Bank of Morocco anticipates that tourism revenues will reach an unprecedented level of 161 billion dirhams ($17.25 billion) by 2027, compared to 138 billion dirhams ($14.78 billion) in 2025. The next phase of growth will focus on increasing the number of visitors from countries such as China, the United States, and the Middle East by improving air connectivity.
As the 2026 World Cup concludes, attention is swiftly shifting to the 2030 edition, which promises to be more than just a traditional football tournament. It will serve as a historical journey across continents, marking the centenary of the world's largest sporting event. This upcoming tournament will make history as the first to take place across three different continents, with matches hosted in six countries, celebrating 100 years since the inaugural World Cup in 1930. FIFA has approved the joint bid from Morocco, Portugal, and Spain to serve as the primary host nations, marking only the second time in history that three countries have shared hosting duties, following the 2026 World Cup.
Due to the significance of this centenary edition, FIFA has decided to honor South American countries by granting them the privilege of hosting special opening matches. Uruguay, as the birthplace of the World Cup, will host a celebratory match at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, the same venue constructed for the inaugural 1930 tournament. Argentina will host a match at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, while Paraguay will host another in Asunción, where the headquarters of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) is located.
The competition will take place from June 8 to July 21, 2030, spanning 44 days, making it the longest World Cup in history, surpassing the 39 days of the 2026 tournament. This extended duration accommodates the long travel distances and transcontinental journeys that players and fans will undertake between Latin American, European, and African shores. Matches are expected to be held in 21 stadiums across 18 cities in the six host countries. As reported, Portugal will host matches in two cities, utilizing the Estadio da Luz and Estadio José Alvalade in Lisbon and Estadio do Dragão in Porto. Morocco is set to contribute significantly with six stadiums across six cities, led by the Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca, along with venues in Rabat, Marrakech, Agadir, Fes, and Tangier. Spain will host the majority of the matches, utilizing ten stadiums in eight cities, including Santiago Bernabéu and Cívitas Metropolitano in Madrid, and Spotify Camp Nou in Barcelona, among others. However, the final venue for the unique centenary edition has yet to be officially confirmed.
As reported by aljazeera.net.
