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2030 World Cup final war intensifies after Morocco PM slams own federation chief and Spain fires back
Morocco's PM rebuked his football chief over a 2030 World Cup final claim, while Spain insisted the showpiece must be stage on Spanish soil.
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Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch has publicly rebuked the country’s football federation president Fouzi Lekjaa over his claim that Morocco will host the 2030 FIFA World Cup final, warning that such a decision cannot be announced before discussions with co-hosts Spain and Portugal. The controversy erupted after Lekjaa said that the province of Benslimane, near Casablanca, would have the honour of staging the final. FIFA, however, has not yet announced the venue for the title clash, leaving the three principal host nations — Morocco, Spain and Portugal — to jostle for the showpiece game.
Akhannouch made his displeasure clear during a rally ahead of elections in Morocco later this month, accusing Lekjaa of making a promise on an issue that remains unresolved. “Do not offer to host the big final game in Morocco while we still have not discussed the matter with our allies, Spain and Portugal. There should be some respect, brothers,” Akhannouch said, as quoted by Reuters. “Stop using electoral promises to pull the rug out from under us. These are huge matters. Deciding where the final will be held is a major issue,” he added.
Spain stakes its claim
The row quickly crossed borders, with Spanish football federation president Rafael Louzan dismissing Lekjaa’s assertion as election rhetoric and making Spain’s own case for hosting the final. Louzan argued that Spain’s standing as defending world champions, as well as its experience in staging major sporting events, made it the natural choice. “Even though no decision has been taken (by FIFA), I believe Spain is the place because it cannot be any other way. As you know, we are currently world champions,” Louzan told Cadena SER radio. “I believe Spain’s organisational capacity for major events is beyond question and that is why reality dictates that the grand final cannot and must not be held anywhere other than in Spain.”
Morocco, though, is backing its bid with an ambitious infrastructure project. Its proposed stadium in Benslimane is planned to hold around 115,000 spectators and is being positioned as one of the centrepieces of the 2030 World Cup. As of May, construction of the stadium was around 30 per cent complete, with officials overseeing the project hoping to finish it by the end of 2027.
The battle over the final could continue for some time yet. FIFA has not indicated when it will announce the host venue, and recent precedent suggests the governing body may wait until closer to the tournament. For the 2026 World Cup, FIFA announced New Jersey as the final venue in February 2024, a little more than two years before the tournament. The 2030 edition will be co-hosted primarily by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, while Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will stage centenary matches marking 100 years since the inaugural World Cup in 1930.
