Grand Stade Hassan II: Lekjaa says Benslimane venue ready in early 2028
Fouzi Lekjaa says the Grand Stade Hassan II in Benslimane, planned for 115,000 fans, will be ready in early 2028 as Morocco eyes the 2030 World Cup final.
Work on the Grand Stade Hassan II in Benslimane, near Casablanca, should be finished in early 2028, roughly two years before the 2030 World Cup kicks off. Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), gave the timeline in an interview with 2M aired on Wednesday evening.
He described the pace of construction as “excellent”. Once completed, the venue will hold about 115,000 spectators, placing it among the largest football stadiums in the world.
According to Lekjaa, Morocco has told its Spanish and Portuguese co-hosts that the tournament’s final should be staged at the biggest stadium across the three countries, and that the Benslimane venue is the largest of them. The stadium is among the candidates to host the final, though FIFA will make the final decision on the venue.
Finishing the stadium ahead of the tournament will let the Moroccan national team, as well as Casablanca clubs Raja and Wydad, play there, alongside major sporting events, Lekjaa added.
The project extends beyond the stadium itself. The site will be linked to high-speed trains and regional express trains to ease fans’ access, part of wider transport and infrastructure upgrades across Greater Casablanca, Lekjaa said.
Hosting the World Cup, he added, covers more than organising matches, reaching into infrastructure development and closer cooperation among the three organising countries. Morocco, Spain and Portugal will co-host the 2030 edition, which coincides with the tournament’s centenary, the first World Cup having been held in 1930.
