Moroccan prime minister challenges 2030 World Cup final hosting promises

Morocco’s prime minister Aziz Akhannouch has challenged promises that the country will stage the 2030 men’s World Cup final, saying the issue must first be discussed with co-hosts Spain and Portugal. According to BBC Sport, his intervention followed Moroccan football federation president Fouzi Lekjaa’s declaration at a political party event that Casablanca would host the tournament’s deciding match.

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The venue remains undecided. FIFA told the BBC that a decision would come in due course, and neither the final selection of host stadiums nor the location of the final has been confirmed. Morocco, Spain and Portugal will jointly stage the tournament, with its opening three matches taking place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to commemorate the World Cup’s centenary.

Speaking at a rally, Akhannouch objected to Lekjaa making a commitment before consultations with the other host nations. He characterised the choice of final venue as a major matter and criticised the use of electoral promises in the debate. His remarks did not announce a venue or withdraw Morocco’s interest; they addressed how the question was being presented publicly before an agreement had been reached.

Spain’s football federation president Rafael Louzan has meanwhile reiterated his preference for a Spanish final. In comments to radio station Cadena SER reported by the BBC, he acknowledged that no decision had been made while arguing that Spain’s record of organising major events supported its case. He also cited the men’s national team’s World Cup triumph this summer as strengthening that claim.

The infrastructure under discussion includes Morocco’s planned 115,000-seat stadium, which would become the world’s largest football stadium. Spain’s potential venues include Real Madrid’s recently renovated Bernabeu, with a capacity of 83,000, and Barcelona’s Spotify Camp Nou, which is set to accommodate 105,000 once its renovation work is complete. Those capacity figures do not establish which stadium will receive the final.

For now, the competing public statements remain separate from a formal allocation. Lekjaa’s assertion about Casablanca and Louzan’s argument for Spain have not resolved the hosting question. FIFA’s stated position leaves both the final venue and the completed stadium line-up awaiting confirmation.