Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport has recorded the busiest year in its history after Morocco’s hosting of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 (21 December 2025 – 18 January 2026) triggered a surge in international travel, football tourism and airline capacity across North Africa. Passenger numbers reached 11.5 million in 2025, up from 10.5 million in 2024, a rise of 9.3 percent driven largely by the influx of teams, supporters, sponsors and international media arriving for Africa’s biggest football tournament. As The WP Times reports, citing Moroccan national airport data and regional business media.
The timing of the tournament — overlapping with the Christmas and New Year holiday season — has amplified its impact on air traffic, pushing Casablanca to its highest annual volume ever and confirming its position as the primary aviation hub of the Kingdom of Morocco.
Africa’s flagship football tournament
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), known in French as CAN, is organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and represents the continent’s most prestigious international football competition. The 2025 edition features 24 national teams and is hosted by Morocco across Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, Agadir and Tangier.
With global broadcasting, major sponsorships and intense regional interest, AFCON draws hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide. In physical terms, it mobilises tens of thousands of travelling fans, football federations, journalists, corporate partners and political delegations — all of whom rely on air transport.
Why Casablanca sits at the centre
Most of this traffic flows through Mohammed V International Airport, located in Nouaceur about 30 kilometres south of Casablanca. The airport is the hub of Royal Air Maroc and handles around 40 percent of Morocco’s total air passenger traffic, connecting Africa with Europe, the Middle East and the Americas.
During AFCON 2025, airlines have increased frequencies from major cities including Paris, London, Madrid, Brussels, Milan, Lagos, Dakar, Cairo and Johannesburg, while charter flights have transported national teams, broadcasters and sponsors. Low-cost carriers have also seen a spike in demand from European football supporters.
Airport operators report that border control, security screening, baggage handling and aircraft movements have all been operating at peak levels throughout late December, traditionally the most intense period of the global travel year.
Tourism and economic impact
The aviation surge is mirrored by a wider tourism boom. Hotels in host cities have reached near-full occupancy, while restaurants, transport companies, tour operators and retail businesses have benefited from the influx of visitors.
Casablanca, Morocco’s financial and commercial capital, has seen a parallel rise in business travel linked to corporate hospitality, media operations and sponsorship activations. Global brands tied to African football have established temporary hubs in the city, reinforcing its role as a gateway to the continent.
Tourism authorities estimate that AFCON 2025 will generate hundreds of millions of euros in visitor spending, strengthening Morocco’s position as one of Africa’s most important leisure and event-driven travel markets.
A rehearsal for the 2030 World Cup
For Moroccan policymakers, AFCON 2025 serves a strategic purpose beyond football. The country will co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, making this tournament a real-world test of its transport, security and hospitality systems ahead of a far larger global event.
Handling more than 11.5 million passengers in a single year at Casablanca offers crucial operational experience, while expansion plans are already under way to increase terminal capacity, improve rail links to the city centre and modernise passenger services.
Casablanca’s rising role in African aviation
The milestone highlights Casablanca’s growing role as an African aviation hub. Royal Air Maroc has expanded its network across West, Central and Southern Africa, positioning the city as a bridge between African capitals and Europe or North America. With simplified visa regimes and improving airport infrastructure, Casablanca is increasingly competing with hubs such as Istanbul, Addis Ababa and Doha as a preferred transfer point for African and intercontinental travel.
Soft power through sport
Beyond economics, AFCON 2025 strengthens Morocco’s international standing. By hosting teams and fans from across the continent, the country has showcased its stability, connectivity and organisational capacity at a moment when global competition for tourism, investment and influence is intensifying.
For many African visitors, their journey through Casablanca has been their first experience of Morocco — linking football with cultural diplomacy and long-term tourism potential.
With the tournament running until 18 January 2026, airport authorities expect a second surge as supporters and teams depart or connect onwards, potentially extending record-breaking traffic levels into the new year. For now, the 11.5 million-passenger mark stands as a historic benchmark — one powered by football, but rooted in Morocco’s broader ambition to become Africa’s leading gateway to the world.
Read about the life of Westminster and Pimlico district, London and the world. 24/7 news with fresh and useful updates on culture, business, technology and city life: Why Aryna Sabalenka lost to Nick Kyrgios in Dubai’s ‘Battle of the Sexes’ on 28 December