Morocco’s prime minister has urged the president of the national football federation to stop promising that the country will host the 2030 World Cup final, while Spain maintains that the match should be played on Spanish soil.
Morocco, Spain and Portugal will jointly host the next men’s World Cup. However, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will stage the first three fixtures in recognition of the tournament’s centenary.
A provisional selection of venues has been presented, but the stadium list remains unconfirmed, and no location has yet been chosen for the final.
Fouzi Lekjaa, the head of Morocco’s football federation (RMFF), said during a political gathering that Casablanca would have the “honour” of staging the decisive match.
Fifa, which oversees international football and organises the tournament, stated that the choice would be announced at the appropriate time.
Speaking at a rally, Moroccan prime minister Aziz Akhannouch warned Lekjaa: “Do not promise that Morocco will stage the major final before the issue has been discussed with our partners in Spain and Portugal.”
“A certain level of respect is required. Do not turn this into an election pledge to gain an advantage over us. This is an important matter, and selecting the venue for the final is a significant decision.”
Rafael Louzan, president of Spain’s football federation (RFEF), has previously insisted that the final will take place in Spain. He believes the country’s position has become stronger after its men’s team secured a second world title this summer.
“Although nothing has been officially decided, I am convinced that Spain is the appropriate destination,” he told Cadena SER radio. “We are, after all, the reigning world champions.
“Spain’s ability to organise major sporting occasions is unquestionable. For that reason, the evidence suggests that the tournament’s final should not be staged anywhere else.”
Spain defeated Argentina in July to claim this year’s World Cup. By comparison, New Jersey was only selected to host that tournament’s final in February 2024, two years before the competition began.
Morocco is developing a planned stadium with 115,000 seats, which would become the world’s largest football venue.
In Spain, Real Madrid’s recently refurbished Bernabeu Stadium can accommodate 83,000 spectators, while Barcelona’s Spotify Camp Nou is expected to hold 105,000 people when its renovation is finished.
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