Marrakech promises more
What you need to know:
Rachid Naifi, the director of the Marrakech Stadium, believes the city’s backbone of culture and tourism may experience its biggest uplift ever should the Afcon come home
World soccer governing body Fifa and the Royal Morocco Football Federation (RMFF) opted to use only two stadiums in Tangier and Rabat for the ongoing Fifa Club World Cup.
RMFF hasn’t however stopped showing off its other facilities available in the bid to woo continental body Caf to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
At the weekend, RMFF took guests around the cities of Fes, Rabat and Marrakech but the latter did talk a big game.
Rachid Naifi, the director of the Marrakech Stadium, believes the city’s backbone of culture and tourism may experience its biggest uplift ever should the Afcon come home.
“The stadium and its architecture is in to[1]tal harmony with the city and the region,” Naifi said of the 45000-seater brown facility.
“The colour of the stadium is in harmony with the city,” he added. A part is built in a copy of the Koutoubia Mosque, the tallest worship place in the city.
Since its opening in 2011, the stadium has hosted nearly 700 events and more than 8 million spectators in total. That includes Uganda Cranes’ matches such as the LG Cup in 2011 where they beat the hosts 1-0 and drew goalless with Sudan.
Furthermore, the Cranes then under Frenchman Sebastian Desabre played and lost all three matches against Zambia, Namibia and Ivory Coast during the 2018 Chan finals.
The venue hosted the 2013 and 2014 Fifa Club World Cup finals which were won by Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
Naifi insists that the Afcon could biggest the event the stadium will host, and of course hoping to have another successful bid to host the 2030 Fifa World Cup.
Meanwhile, Club World Cup action resumes today with Copa Libertadores champions Flamengo from Brazil meeting Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal in the first semi-final to be played in a very cold Tangier.
Fifa Club World Cup
TONIGHT | SEMIFINAL - 10PM
Flamengo (BRA) vs. Al-Hilal (KSA)
WEDNESDAY
Al Ahly (EGY) vs. Real Madrid (ESP)
About
Marrakech stadium
Full name: Grand Stade de Marrakech
Location: Marrakesh, Morocco
Capacity: 45,240
Surface: Grass
Opened: January 5, 2011
Architect: Gregotti Associati International
