Morocco reveals plans to build world’s biggest football stadium to host 2030 World Cup final

115,000-seater Grand Stade Hassan II will be the jewel in the crown of the joint World Cup in Morocco, Portugal and Spain

Plans to build the world’s biggest football stadium, which could host the 2030 World Cup final, have been revealed with spectacular images released of the proposed site in Morocco.
The stadium will be the jewel of the crown in the joint World Cup bid from Morocco, Portugal and Spain to host the tournament in six years’ time, with construction set to start imminently. The Grand Stade Hassan II in Casablanca will have a capacity of 115,000 and would be one of the most high spec sporting venues on the planet.
The design, by Paris-based architects Oualalou + Choi and renowned stadium construction firm Populous, is said to draw “inspiration from the traditional social gathering of Morocco known as a “moussem”, with the stadium structure set under a grand tented roof that emerges as a dramatic intervention in the forested landscape.”
At both ends of the stadium, three steep tiered stands will hold a remarkable 29,500 spectators, while there will also be five levels of hospitality and corporate seating which can accommodate 12,000 guests as well as VIP visitors in the Royal Box.
As well as a grand tented roof, constructed from aluminum lattice, the stadium will be surrounded by gardens to give the impression of a grand oasis in the desert.
Populous have already built some of the most impressive sports stadiums in the world, including Tottenham’s new home, Wembley, the Accor Stadium in Sydney, the Aviva Stadium in Dublin and Lyon’s Groupama Stadium and training centre.
Christopher Lee, Managing Director at Populous for the EMEA region, said: “We are very proud to work alongside our partners Oualalou + Choi on this incredible project. The Grand Stade Hassan II will be a truly iconic, landmark venue for Morocco and for football itself, that will become one of the great stadia of the world.”
Tarik Oualalou, Design Principal and founding partner at Oualalou + Choi and Lead Architect for the project, added: “The Grand Stade Hassan II is deeply rooted in Moroccan culture, with its traditions and contemporary expressions.
“It is rooted in ancient and primordial figures: the Moussem, the tent, and the garden, as well as the topography and landscapes of Morocco.
“It’s a generous space, open to the world and respectful to the nature it protects. The Grand Stade Hassan II de Casablanca is the embodiment of the great tradition of Moroccan hospitality.”