Groundbreaking Rail Proposal Aims to Connect Europe and Africa Before 2030 World Cup

The idea of a rail connection between Spain and North Africa has been in discussion for decades. However, with the upcoming global football tournament co-hosted by these nations and four others, the initiative has gained renewed momentum.

Central to the project is a 17-mile tunnel beneath the Strait of Gibraltar, an engineering marvel that would physically unite Europe and Africa. Private analysts estimated the project's cost between £6.5 billion and £13 billion in 2007, with neither Spain nor Morocco providing definitive cost estimates.

In February 2023, representatives from both countries convened in Rabat to discuss the plans. Raquel Sánchez, Spain's Minister of Transport, Mobility, and Urban Agenda, expressed commitment to advancing the Fixed Link Project, stating, “A strategic project for Spain and Morocco and also for Europe and Africa.”

If realized, the rail connection promises to significantly reduce travel times between the continents. Moroccan state media outlet SNRTNews highlighted that the high-speed rail line in both Morocco and Spain is expected to substantially cut travel time compared to regular trains.

Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, commenting on the rail plan during the Morocco-Spain Summit, remarked, "[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 studies on the ambitious project, signaling a concrete step toward realizing this groundbreaking initiative.