“Your house will be demolished”: the 2030 World Cup accelerates the disappearance of neighborhoods in Morocco
In Casablanca, preparations for the 2030 World Cup are accelerating demolition operations that began long ago. An analysis of satellite images conducted by the Belgian daily De Standaard shows that more than 15 hectares disappeared in less than a year within the Avenue Royale area.
The Belgian daily De Standaard compared satellite images taken between August 2025 and May 2026. In the area of the Avenue Royale project in Casablanca, more than 15 hectares of built-up land were reportedly demolished.
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By cross-referencing this area with official population-density data for the sector, the Belgian newspaper estimates that the area concerned corresponded to more than 4,000 households. The demolitions notably affect popular neighborhoods located between the Hassan II Mosque and central Casablanca, such as Derb Lingliz.
The World Cup accelerates a much older project
The Avenue Royale project does not date back to the awarding of the 2030 World Cup. It has existed for several decades and calls for a profound transformation of this part of Casablanca. But De Standaard observes that the 2030 deadline is now acting as an accelerator for several major urban projects that Morocco wants to complete before hosting the competition with Spain and Portugal.
For some residents interviewed by the Belgian daily, this acceleration has resulted in a brutal situation: their homes must disappear, they are offered compensation or a rehousing solution, and they must leave a neighborhood where their family has sometimes lived for several generations.
The newspaper is notably following the journey of Saad Mosleh. After his home in central Casablanca was demolished, he now lives in Errahma, on the outskirts of the city. His case illustrates one of the main criticisms voiced by residents: beyond the loss of their home, relocation distances some families from their jobs, schools and local support networks.
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De Standaard nevertheless qualifies the link with the World Cup. Urban-renewal operations and efforts to deal with dilapidated buildings existed before 2030, and some structures are indeed considered dangerous. The tournament is therefore not the cause of all the demolitions. According to the Belgian daily, however, it imposes a new pace on them: four years before the competition, projects that had remained on the drawing board for decades must now move forward much more quickly.
