‘Major Issue’—The Dispute Surrounding the 2030 World Cup Final

The president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (RMFF) has claimed the country will host the final of the 2030 World Cup, only to be scolded for doing so by the country’s prime minister.

The next iteration of the competition will be jointly hosted across Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with special anniversary fixtures also handed to Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay in South America, but no details about specific games have been provided thus far.

That did not stop RMFF president Fouzi Lekjaa from publicly claiming: “The province of Benslimane will have the honour of hosting the 2030 World Cup final.”

The quotes sparked immediate questions about the process of deciding the host venue for the final. Morocco’s involvement in the tournament is reported to have largely been as a reward for loyalty to under-fire FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Soccer’s governing body denied a decision on the final had been made as recently as last month.

That seemed to be backed up by prime minister Aziz Akhannouch, who warned Lekjaa not to use such huge promises to fuel an election campaign.

“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,” Akhannouch said.

“There should be some respect, brothers. 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.”

Spain Pushing to Host 2030 World Cup Final

Rafael Louzán, Gianni Infantino — Rafael Louzán (left) wants the final in Spain. | Eva Marie Uzcategui - FIFA/Getty Images

Rafael Louzán, president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), has publicly insisted Spain should host the final, specifically in Madrid, as a reward for its success on the pitch at recent tournaments like Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup.

After Lekjaa’s comments, Louzán spoke with Cadena SER to once again stress his belief that Spain would be the best hosts.

“Where does this context come from? Firstly, Fouzi Lekjaa is a candidate for Prime Minister of Morocco and his election campaign began yesterday,” Louzán explained. “And secondly, I think attention is being diverted from a serious and grave problem that Spain is currently facing.

“It’s true that FIFA, this very Thursday, already denied the rumors and stated that no decision has been made regarding the location of the final. But, despite the lack of a decision, I believe Spain is the right place because it can’t be any other way.

“Currently, as you know, we are world champions. Spain’s organizational capacity for major events is, I believe, unquestionable, and therefore reality leads us to the conclusion that the grand final will not be held anywhere other than Spain.”

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