Football, considered a mass sport, is emerging as a new axis for collaboration between the Canary Islands and Morocco. In the context of being hosts for the 2030 World Cup, representatives from the Moroccan region of Souss Massa visited the facilities of the Estadio de Gran Canaria. The main objective was to strengthen ties and explore opportunities for cooperation in the sports field.
“"True neighborliness is concentrated in these types of meetings that serve to share experiences between two territories that have many things in common, such as the sea or cultural aspects."
During the working meeting, which included members of the Moroccan delegation and representatives from the Government of the Canary Islands, the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the Canarian and Tenerife Football Federations, UD Las Palmas, and Club Deportivo Tenerife Femenino, opportunities for collaboration in the sector were highlighted. The Sports Councilor of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Aridany Romero, presented the renovation project for the Estadio de Gran Canaria, emphasizing that the island meets the requirements to be a host, with the exception of the stadium, which is currently being worked on.
Similarly, the Adrar Stadium in Morocco is undergoing a renovation process, with a first phase already completed for the African Cup of Nations and a second phase underway to be ready for the 2030 World Cup, with a capacity to host between 46,000 and 50,000 spectators.
This collaboration also extends to women's football, following the signing of an agreement in January of this year for the development of sports, training, and technical initiatives. An example of this cooperation will be the friendly match that Costa Adeje will play in Agadir in August, seeking to expand this synergy to lower categories and men's football.
In addition to the stadium visit, business-to-business (B2B) meetings were held between Canarian companies and business representatives from Souss Massa. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Proexca and the Regional Investment Center of Souss Massa, aiming to promote investments and position the Agadir–Canary Islands corridor as a strategic hub.
