Morocco Bid Needs $16B For '26 WC Venues, Infrastructure

Morocco bid organizers said that the group would "need to spend" $16B to prepare to host the '26 FIFA World Cup, with every proposed stadium and training ground "built from scratch or renovated." With less than three months to go until the FIFA vote, Morocco "presented its first significant details of its proposal to take on" the North American joint bid. Morocco said that for $3B, it can "build nine stadiums, refurbish five others and build or renovate 130 training grounds." That is part of the $12.6B in "public investment that also requires hospital services being upgraded in 20 cities and transport networks improved for the World Cup after the jump from 32 to 48 participating nations" (AP, 3/17).