The Grand Stadium of Marrakech, set to host the final stages of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon 2025) in Morocco, has undergone major renovations across multiple areas. The stadium, which has already staged prestigious events such as the FIFA Club World Cup in 2013 and 2014, began its first phase of upgrades in early 2024, completed in June 2025. «The first phase of upgrading the city's Grand Stadium focused on bringing the venue into full compliance with CAF standards», explained Abdelkerim Bouilli, development director of the stadium and representative of the National Agency for Public Facilities (ANEP). Key improvements included refurbishing all sports facilities, locker rooms, the mixed zone, and media areas, along with a complete replacement of the pitch. A panoramic restaurant with 180 seats was added, and the seating throughout the stands was replaced with larger, more comfortable chairs. According to Bouilli, the second phase of work will begin right after Afcon 2025 and continue through the end of 2028. It will remove the athletics track to increase capacity from the current 41,000 to 46,000 seats by 2030, and provide full roof coverage for the stadium. In a similar statement, Morad Karaoui, regional director of the National Company for the Construction and Management of Sports Facilities (SONARGES), said that the first phase of work cost around 400 million dirhams, and that the stadium now boasts seven VIP lounges and 15 skyboxes. The number of turnstiles has also more than doubled, from 36 to 77, cutting waiting times for both pedestrians and vehicles to just one minute between the outer gates and the stands, in line with CAF and FIFA standards. The stadium also features four training pitches built to FIFA criteria. Karaoui added that the Grand Stadium is «set to be transformed once again in its second phase of upgrades in preparation for the 2030 World Cup». The venue, currently rectangular, will be redesigned in an octagonal format. Fans will have their first chance to see the revamped arena this Saturday at 9 p.m., when local club Kawkab Marrakech (KACM), newly promoted to Botola Pro D1, plays a friendly match against Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia.
