Morocco has unveiled a $1.55-billion expansion of its flagship Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca, slated for completion ahead of the 2030 World Cup to be jointly hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal.

According to the airports authority (ONDA), the project will include the construction of a new H-shaped terminal. In addition, plans call for a new 3,700-meter parallel runway with associated taxiways, expanded aircraft parking facilities and a new 42-m-tall control tower. Tenders for the construction are expected to be issued in the coming months, officials say.

The planned expansion will allow for passenger capacity to 20 million travelers annually – tripling the existing airport’s capacity.

The terminal will also feature a connection to the national high-speed rail line currently being expanded. With five stations, the 430-kilometer Kenitra-Marrakech high-speed line is set for completion in 2029. A French-Moroccan consortium led by Egis, with Systra and Novec, has been tapped as the project management assistance contractor by the Moroccan National Railways Office (ONCF).