Europe and Africa may be poised to be linked like never before, with a major new rail project connecting Spain, Portugal and Morocco rumoured to be on the cards prior to the 2030 World Cup – but time is running out.
The idea to join Spain and north Africa by rail has been a discussion point for decades, but now with the global football tournament taking place in the two countries, as well as four others, the infrastructure plan has been revived.
The project would see a 17-mile tunnel pass under the Strait of Gibraltar, linking the two continents in a landmark piece of engineering. Private analysts estimated back in 2007 that the project could cost anywhere between £6.5bn and £13bn, The Washington Post reports. Neither Spain nor Morocoo have given bottom-line estimates on projected costs.
In February 2023, representatives from Spain and Morocco met in Rabat to discuss the plans. Minister of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (Mitma), Raquel Sánchez said: “We are going to give a boost to the studies of the Fixed Link Project of the Strait of Gibraltar that was started by both countries forty years ago. A strategic project for Spain and Morocco and also for Europe and Africa”.
If the project does go ahead, it will see rail travel times between the continents reduce significantly. According to Moroccan state media outlet SNRTNews: “The high-speed rail line existing in both Morocco and Spain is expected to significantly reduce travel time compared to regular trains as supported by studies on this matter”.
Moroccan PM Aziz Akhannouch said of the Morocco-Spain Summit, which saw the first formal discussion of the rail plan since 2009: “[The summit] opens the perspectives of projects that are so many levers to build the future, among them the fixed link project between the two countries, which will probably cause a real revolution on several levels.”
In June 2023, the Spanish Society for Fixed Communication across the Strait of Gibraltar (SECEGSA) received 2.3 million euros to continue its studies into the project.
SECEGSA has found that the route could connect Madrid and the Morrocan port city of Casablanca – a line that would stretch around 650 miles.
However, SECEGSA noted that if the project was to be completed in time for the major football showpiece event, construction would need to start in a year-and-a-half.
The 48-team tournament will see matches played in Spain, Morocco, Portugal, as well as Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay.
