Ahead of hosting FIFA World Cup: Morocco to modernise airports for $4.2 billion

 $4.2 billion dollars for better airports.

Morocco unveiled a plan on Thursday to upgrade its airports ahead of co-hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2030, together with Portugal and Spain.

The country is aiming to increase airport capacity from 38 million to 80 million passengers per year by the end of the decade.

The expansion and refurbishment plans concern airports in Marrakech, Agadir, Tangier, and Fez, with special focus on Morocco's largest airport, the Mohammed V International Airport, in Casablanca. There, authorities are planning the addition of a new terminal and a new runway, which could cost $2.5 billion.

The investment will also benefit the tourism sector, which is growing. Morocco saw a record number of visitors in 2024, surpassing 17 million in a year. The country also aims to increase this number by 2030, seeking to reach 26 million tourists by that year.

The FIFA World Cup will mark its centenary in 2030, an occasion that will be celebrated through a number of matches in host nations around the world.