RABAT, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Morocco’s successful staging of the Africa Cup of Nations means there should be no scepticism about its ability to co-host the World Cup with Portugal and Spain in 2030, even if Sunday’s final was clouded by a walk-off and defeat for the home team.
Impressive stadiums, easy transportation links and a well-established tourism infrastructure ensured the 24-team tournament went off without any major hitch and will assuage any doubters about the World Cup in four years’ time.
Morocco plans to use six venues in 2030 and five of them were used for the Cup of Nations, providing world-class playing surfaces and a spectacular backdrop.
The Grande Stade in Tangier with a 75,000 capacity is an impressive facility in the northern coastal city, less than an hour’s ferry ride from Spain.
Sunday’s final saw Senegal edge Morocco 1-0 after extra time, having stormed off when a penalty was awarded against them in stoppage time at the end of 90 minutes. Morocco's Brahim Diaz missed the spot kick and Senegal won with a Pape Gueye goal.
The match was played at the Stade Moulay Abdellah in the capital Rabat, which has a capacity of 69,500. The attendance for the final was 66,526.
Stadiums in Agadir, Fes and Marrakech were also more than adequate and will now be renovated over the next few years.
But the crowning glory is the proposed 115,000-capacity Stade Hassan II on the outskirts ofCasablanca which Morocco hope will be chosen to host the final over Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
In all, Morocco will spend $1.4 billion on the six stadiums. Also planned is extensive investment in airports, with some 10 Moroccan cities already running direct air links to Europe and many budget airlines offering flights to the kingdom.
An extension of Africa’s only high-speed rail service, which already provides a comfortable three-hour ride from Tangier to Casablanca, further south to Agadir and Marrakech is also planned.
UNREST REVEALED ANGER OVER INFRASTRUCTURE SPEND
Morocco hopes all of this will modernise its cities and boost the economy, but youth-led unrest last September revealed deep-seated anger over poverty and public services amid the ambitious infrastructure projects.
The protests exposed a challenge for authorities to maintain order and the pace of economic development while burnishing Morocco's international image ahead of the World Cup.
Morocco has set itself apart from other non-oil Arab economies by pouring billions into roads, rail, ports, renewable energy and manufacturing.
Poverty has been cut almost in half, according to the country's statistics agency, but the rioters were demanding more money for healthcare and education, chanting “Stadiums are here, but where are the hospitals?”
On the field, Morocco will hope to launch a credible challenge for a first African World Cup success although on Sunday they continued their poor return in the Cup of Nations, where their only triumph came 50 years ago.
They surprised with a thrilling run to the last four at the Qatar 2022 World Cup as the first African nation to get that far and will hope for a similar impact at this year's finals in North America. They are in Group C with Brazil, Scotland and Haiti.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Rabat; Editing by Ken Ferris)
