Clifford and Garrigues: leading candidates to advise on mega contracts for the 2030 World Cup

Two of Spain's most prestigious law firms, Clifford Chance and Garrigues, both with offices in Morocco, are expected to be responsible for awarding the contracts for the construction of the main stadiums announced by King Mohammed VI of Morocco to host the most important matches of the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco is co-organising with Spain and Portugal. 

The main mega-contract is for the Grand Stadium in Casablanca. This project, which when completed will become the world's largest stadium (115,000 spectators), is expected to cost around €300 million, so competition to win it is expected to be fierce. 

The only guideline to follow so far is that the work must be completed in less than 30 months, in accordance with the official dates issued by FIFA regarding the appointment of the stadium that will host the final, as this is the objective. This is a historic event in which the Grand Stadium of Casablanca will only compete with the stadiums of Real Madrid and Fútbol Club Barcelona. 

That is why the race to obtain the ideal advice would be a major boost for the company that wins the rights. 

However, Clifford Chance and Garrigues are joined by eight companies from the Valencian Community, which focus on construction, lighting, textiles and furniture, and have already begun to position themselves in Morocco, driven by the growing increase in requests for infrastructure projects due to the organisation of this year's African Cup of Nations and the World Cup. 

The Moroccan market has been growing for Spanish companies. That is why these eight Valencian firms are participating in the new Trade Mission to Morocco organised by Ivace+i Internacional, which has been promoted by the North African country together with the Regional Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Trade and Tourism of the Valencian Regional Government. 

The outlook for Morocco in 2025 is encouraging, in an environment of economic recovery, with gross domestic product growth projected to exceed 3% this year, making it a clear destination for Valencian companies looking to expand outside Spain. 

With the 2030 World Cup on the horizon, football stadiums, motorways, airports and ports are among the main projects being developed by the African country. 

Morocco is promoting a wider network of motorways, including the project to connect Tit Mellil with Berrechid, which will have three lanes in each direction and a junction connecting it to the motorway linking Rabat and Casablanca. This project will require an investment of 4 billion euros and will be essential for improving connections to the Moroccan capital. 

Airports will also undergo significant changes. Companies in Valencia are also paying attention to improvements or expansions at airports such as Casablanca, Tangier, Rabat, Fez, Tetouan, Agadir and Marrakech. 

Similarly, several of the country's main ports are being expanded to accommodate increased commercial and passenger traffic, and in this context, companies in the sector are seeing opportunities to grow their businesses.