The contest over the right to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup final has taken a new political turn, with Morocco’s Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch publicly rebuking the head of the country’s football federation over claims that Casablanca would stage the showpiece.
The dispute intensified on Friday after Akhannouch criticized Royal Moroccan Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa for declaring that Casablanca would have the “honour” of hosting the final.
FIFA has yet to decide which of the three joint hosts, Spain, Portugal and Morocco, will stage the tournament’s final, saying the decision will be announced in due course.
Akhannouch said Morocco should not make unilateral declarations about the final without first consulting its co-hosts.
“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,” the prime minister said at a political rally ahead of elections later this month.
“There should be some respect. 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.”
The RMFF did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the disagreement.
Spain presses its case
Meanwhile, Spanish Football Federation president Rafael Louzan dismissed Lekjaa’s earlier declaration and argued that Spain should host the final.
Although he acknowledged that FIFA had not taken a final decision, Louzan said Spain had the strongest case to stage the tournament’s biggest match.
“I believe Spain is the place because it cannot be any other way,” he told Cadena SER radio.
“As you know, we are currently world champions.”
Louzan said Spain’s experience in organizing major international events made it the natural choice for the final.
“Spain’s organizational capacity for major events is beyond question, and reality dictates that the grand final cannot and must not be held anywhere other than in Spain,” he said.
The battle for the final has therefore become increasingly prominent as preparations for the joint tournament gather pace.
Morocco is banking heavily on its proposed 115,000-seat stadium, which is expected to form the centerpiece of its bid to host the final. As of May, construction on the facility was reported to be about 30 per cent complete, with officials targeting completion by the end of 2027.
For now, however, the decision remains in FIFA’s hands, leaving Spain, Portugal and Morocco to continue making their respective cases for one of football’s most prestigious hosting rights.
