Spain has reaffirmed its determination to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup final, insisting it remains the strongest candidate despite speculation that neighbouring Morocco may already have secured the showpiece match.
The comments came after FIFA dismissed reports claiming its president, Gianni Infantino, had privately promised Morocco the right to stage the tournament final as part of efforts to secure political support within world football.
Speaking to Cadena Ser radio on Wednesday night, Spain’s Sports Minister Milagros Tolón (main image) said the government remained fully confident that the final would ultimately be awarded to Spain.
‘We are the reigning men’s and women’s World Cup champions, and Spain and Portugal spearheaded the bid for the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco later joined,’ Tolón said. ‘We have many advantages and strengths as a country.’
She added that Madrid had been caught off guard by reports suggesting the decision had already been made.
‘The most important thing is that FIFA has already denied it,’ she said. ‘We are working with FIFA, and we have our next meeting in September. They have been very clear and emphatic in denying this news. We will continue working because we want, and it has to be, that the World Cup final is in Spain.’
FIFA moved swiftly to reject the reports, with a spokesperson describing them as ‘false and misleading’.
‘A decision will be made by FIFA in due course,’ the governing body said, stressing that no commitment had been made regarding the venue for the 2030 final.
Spain, Portugal and Morocco will jointly stage the centenary World Cup in 2030, although FIFA has yet to announce which stadium will host the tournament’s final match. ALSO READ: Confirmed: Spain, Portugal, Morocco to host 2030 World Cup … and Saudi Arabia 2034.
The race has increasingly centred on Morocco’s proposed King Hassan II Stadium near Casablanca and Spain’s two leading candidates: Real Madrid’s recently redeveloped Santiago Bernabéu and Barcelona’s expanding Camp Nou.
Morocco is investing heavily in its bid, with the planned King Hassan II Stadium expected to accommodate around 115,000 spectators, making it the largest football stadium in the world when completed. Construction is scheduled to finish by the end of next year, with the venue designed specifically to strengthen Casablanca’s case for hosting the World Cup final.
Spain, meanwhile, is relying on the pedigree of two of world football’s most famous venues. The Santiago Bernabéu now holds around 83,000 fans following its extensive modernisation, while Barcelona’s Camp Nou is undergoing redevelopment that will eventually increase its capacity to approximately 105,000, although the project has experienced delays.
The contest to secure the final has become increasingly public in recent months.
Earlier this year, Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Rafael Louzán declared that Spain should host the tournament’s deciding match, arguing that the country’s long record of staging major sporting events gave it a clear advantage.
‘Spain has a proven organisational capacity over many years, and therefore Spain is going to be the one to lead that World Cup 2030 and where the final of the tournament will be played,’ he said.
Louzán also referred to organisational problems during this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, saying: ‘Morocco is really undergoing a transformation, it is true, but some scenes at some matches at the Africa Cup of Nations not only harm the Cup of Nations, but also harm the image of world football.’
One of the tournament’s matches in Rabat attracted criticism following crowd disturbances, disputes involving ball boys and a temporary walk-off by players.
Morocco has largely avoided engaging publicly in the debate.
Football federation president Fouzi Lekjaa has insisted that no decision has yet been reached and stressed that the allocation of matches will be determined jointly by FIFA and the three co-host nations.
However, officials within African football have acknowledged that Morocco is actively campaigning behind the scenes to secure the final for Casablanca, with lobbying expected to continue as FIFA moves closer to making its decision.
If Morocco’s bid succeeds, Casablanca would become only the second African city to host a FIFA World Cup final after Johannesburg in 2010 — the same tournament in which Spain lifted its first and only World Cup trophy.
Spain, meanwhile, last staged the World Cup final in 1982, when Italy defeated West Germany 3-1 at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
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