ISPA Conference & Expo
ISPA Conference & Expo
ISPA Conference & Expo

Architects Cruz y Ortiz reveal stadium design for Morocco's 2026 World Cup bid

Spanish architecture firm Cruz y Ortiz have designed a 90,000-capacity football stadium as the centrepiece of Morocco’s bid for the 2026 World Cup.

The members of football’s world governing body, FIFA, meet tomorrow (13 June) in Moscow decide who will host the tournament in eight year’s time: Morocco or the US, Mexico and Canada.

If the former wins the vote, Cruz y Ortiz’s stadium will be constructed in Casablanca, and will host the opening match and the final of the World Cup.

In a design statement, the architects said: "The large capacity of spectators determines the circular shape of the perimeter. The circle is the geometry that maximizes the stands' surface area and ensures the spectator’s view of the field does not exceed 190 meters.

"The challenge of covering a stadium of these dimensions becomes an opportunity to make the roof the element that defines the image of the building. A large self-supporting roof of cables and tensioned membranes is proposed."

The practice have designed football grounds in China and Switzerland, but are best-known for their recently-completed Wanda Metropolitano for Spanish La Liga side Atletico Madrid. Rather than building a new stadium from scratch, they were tasked with renovating and expanding the Estadio Olímpico de Madrid – a small athletics venue built in 1994 – to create one of the most technologically-advanced stadiums in Europe.

Tomorrow’s vote is finely poised. The US president, Donald Trump, was criticised last month for effectively threatening to cut aid and other forms of support to countries which are prepared to support the Moroccan bid – which, in Trump's view, constitutes to opposing the joint North American bid.

His threats relating to the Moroccan bid haven’t gone down well with African member nations of FIFA – who could ultimately decide the winner of the bid for the 2026 tournament due to the number of votes they hold.

Trump's interference in the bid has also fallen foul of FIFA, which has – in response to the president's rhetoric – repeatedly referenced its bid rules, which prohibit "political activities" that can have "undue influence on the bidding process".

Meanwhile, the 2018 World Cup in Russia kicks off on Thursday (14 June) with the host nation taking on Saudi Arabia at the 81,000-capacity Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, which has reopened following development work.

Cruz y Ortiz  Morocco  2026 World Cup  FIFA  US  Mexico  Canada  
Spanish architecture firm Cruz y Ortiz have designed a 90,000-capacity football stadium as the centrepiece of Morocco’s bid for the 2026 World Cup. The members of football’s world governing body, FIFA, meet tomorrow (13 June) in Moscow decide who will host the tournament in eight year’s time: Morocco or the US, Mexico and Canada. If the former wins the vote, Cruz y Ortiz’s stadium will be constructed in Casablanca, and
CLD,SAR,ARC,DES
If the former wins the vote, Cruz y Ortiz’s stadium will be constructed in Casablanca, and will host the opening match and the final of the World Cup / Cruz y Ortiz
More news
News stories: 1 - 30 of 7782     
 
 
 
News stories: 1 - 30 of 7782     
 
 
 
company profile
Company profile: The Wellness
Based in Dubai, Hong Kong, and Singapore, The Wellness are the next generation of wellness consultants providing spa, fitness, hydro engineering and leisure related concepts for the global Wellness markets.
Try cladmag for free!
Sign up with CLAD to receive our regular ezine, instant news alerts, free digital subscriptions to CLADweek, CLADmag and CLADbook and to request a free sample of the next issue of CLADmag.
sign up
features
Last word: Tina Norden
Tina Norden
"We have created an approach which is playful, provocative but also functional"

Conran and Partners’ Tina Norden on playing with colour at Prague’s newly redesigned Hotel Maximilian

The suites are sleek, modern and calming, with natural colours and materials
"Wellness embraces the entire holiday experience"

The design of the newly-opened Lefay Resort and Spa Dolomitti in Italy aims to celebrate and protect its spectacular surroundings

The eighth floor Suite Terrace is inspired by ‘Californian cool’
"We tried to take over in a friendly way"

The Standard’s first London hotel is bold, fun and full of surprising touches

Catalogue Gallery
Click on a catalogue to view it online
To advertise in our catalogue gallery: call +44(0)1462 431385
features
BIG’s design for Google’s Charleston East Campus aims to foster a sense of community
Daniel Sundlin
"What defines BIG’s style of visual communication is that our diagrams clearly capture the essence of our projects, meaning that it’s very easy for people who don’t know our projects well to understand them."

The vision for Google's UK and US HQs

Profile: John Rhodes
John Rhodes
"It’s about the celebration of people coming together. If you can manage that well, a venue can become very special"

HOK has been tasked with designing a truly flexible arena for Valencia. John Rhodes is up for the challenge

Multiple vaults could be linked together to form flexible spaces; The pilot project is based in Rwanda; The project builds on Foster + Partners’ experience designing airports
The Norman Foster Foundation promotes ‘interdisciplinary thinking and research’
"The Droneport project is about doing more with less"

The Norman Foster Foundation presents the Droneport

features
"True luxury is about preserving the soul of an incredible destination"

KimMegsonvisitstheaward-winning ChabléYucatánResort&Spa

Depth counters take divers down 40 metres
Architect, resort owner and pool designer Emanuele Boaretto
"We’re now consulting all over the world with architects and developers on other dive pool projects "

Kath Hudson talks to Italian architect Emanuele Boaretto about building the world’s deepest diving pool to regenerate both his own spa resort and the region

The Berkeley recently unveiled its new RSHP-designed façade, which is part of a wider redesign of the hotel
Richard Rogers partner RSHP
"Leisure space is at the very root of democracy. We have to defend our public spaces"

On defending our public spaces

cladkit product news
Codelocks develops new glass door smart lock
The new lock model allows facilities and building managers to create and manage access via an app or online portal
Megan Whitby
Codelocks has launched its first glass door smart lock to bring intelligent access control to modern spa, leisure, fitness and ...
Mather & Co and ITV unite to create Coronation Street Experience
Mather & Co has transformed the visitor centre into the ultimate haven for ardent Coronation Street viewers
Magali Robathan
Experience designers, Mather & Co, have orchestrated a remarkable collaboration with ITV to unveil the new Coronation Street Experience, a ...
Eco Resort Network conference to convene in Mauritius this May
The event will be hosted in the Mauritius in 2024
Megan Whitby
Hospitality industry event Eco Resort Network is set to take place at the Ravenala Attitude Hotel, Turtle Bay, Mauritius, from ...
cladkit product news
Koto Design introduces wood-fired hot tub
Koto is known for crafting modular, energy-neutral cabins and homes
Katie Barnes
A striking wood-fired hot tub has been unveiled by Koto, an architecture and design studio which has a passion for ...
Eden project uses drones to spell out climate change warning
Magali Robathan
Almost 300 drones were used to signal an environmental message above the Eden Project’s biomes, during the UN Climate Change ...
Jaffe Holden helps bring Academy Museum of Motion Pictures alive
Jaffe Holden provided architectural acoustics for the Academy Museum
Magali Robathan
Acoustical consulting firm Jaffe Holden provided architectural acoustics and audio/video design services for the recently opened Academy Museum of Motion ...
cladkit product news
Alberto Apostoli and Newform collaborate to launch the A.Zeta showerhead
The showerhead offers two modes; rainfall or waterfall
Megan Whitby
Italian architect Alberto Apostoli has renewed his partnership with Newform – an Italian wellness company – and designed A.Zeta. A.Zeta ...
Alberto Apostoli designs tech-forward Wellness Therapy furniture collection for Varaschin
The furniture collection draws on absolute geometries, pure lines, neutral colours and strong references to nature
Megan Whitby
Furniture manufacturer Varaschin has unveiled the new Wellness Therapy range, designed by Italian spa and wellness architect and designer Alberto ...
Siminetti unveils iridescent decorative panelling range inspired by plants
The Clematis design
Megan Whitby
The Botanicals is Siminetti’s newest Mother of Pearl decorative panelling collection, inspired by the distinctive patterns found in botany and ...
x
Sign up with CLAD for regular news updates
ISPA Conference & Expo
ISPA Conference & Expo