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The race to stage the 2030 World Cup final has taken a dramatic twist after a public intervention by the Moroccan government. Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch has formally pulled up the country’s football chief for making premature claims over the venue for the tournament’s showpiece match.

Internal friction over World Cup plans

Moroccan Prime Minister Akhannouch has issued a strong warning to Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (RMFF), asking him to stop making public assurances about where the 2030 World Cup final will be played. The centenary edition of the tournament will be co-hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal, while opening matches will also be held in South America in recognition of the competition’s history.

As reported by BBC Sport, tensions flared after Lekjaa said at a political party gathering that the new stadium in Casablanca would have the ‘honour’ of hosting the final. But with FIFA yet to confirm the final venue, the Prime Minister moved in to avoid any diplomatic strain with Morocco’s European co-hosts.

Prime Minister calls for diplomatic respect

Speaking at a rally, Akhannouch made his position clear, telling Lekjaa: ‘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. 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.’

FIFA has still not made any formal announcement on the issue, saying only that ‘a decision will be made in due course.’ While the North African country is pressing strongly to bring the final to Africa for the first time since South Africa staged the tournament in 2010, Spanish football officials are just as confident that the marquee match will be played in Spain.

Spain remains confident of hosting

Rafael Louzan, president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF), has spoken openly about his view that Spain is the obvious choice to host the final. ‘Even though no decision has been taken, I believe Spain is the place because it cannot be any other way,’ Louzan told Cadena SER radio. ‘As you know, we are currently world champions. 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.’

Spain’s case is strengthened by the recent success of their men’s national team, who defeated Argentina to win their second World Cup title this past summer. With top-class infrastructure already available, including the newly renovated Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid and the ongoing expansion of Barcelona’s Spotify Camp Nou, the RFEF believes it holds the advantage in discussions despite Morocco’s ambitious stadium developments.

The battle of the mega-stadiums

In an effort to secure the final, Morocco is building a huge 115,000-capacity stadium which, once completed, would become the biggest football-specific venue in the world. The project is aimed at competing with Spain’s iconic stadiums.

The schedule for a final decision remains open, as shown by the planning for the 2026 World Cup, when New Jersey was only confirmed as host of the final in early 2024. For the moment, the Moroccan government appears determined to keep expectations in check and preserve good relations with Spain and Portugal.