Morocco's top soccer official has claimed his country will host the final of the 2030 Men's World Cup, though no official announcement has been made.
The tournament is set to be hosted jointly by Spain, Morocco and Portugal after three opening matches take place in South America to honor the 100th anniversary of the competition, which first took place in Uruguay.
Fouzi Lekjaa, the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, hopes the final will take place at the King Hassan II Stadium, a 115,000-seat stadium being built outside Casablanca in the Benslimane province – and told political allies that it may be a done deal.
"The city of Benslimane will host the World Cup final. Hate it or love it, and if anyone wants to talk on top of that,
let them talk," Lakjaa said Thursday, Sept. 10 at a political event, according to a translation by the Associated Press. "The city is Benslimane, the Hassan II stadium is the stadium, and I hope that Morocco will be playing it,"
Rumors circulated last month in the British press that FIFA President Gianni Infantino may have promised the final to Morocco in exchange for support as he potentially faces a challenge in March's elections. FIFA denied those reports.
“As communicated on 5 August 2026, a decision will be made by FIFA in due course," a FIFA spokesperson told USA TODAY Sports Thursday, Sept. 10 when approached for comment.
While Morocco will boast one of the world's largest stadiums, Spain also has a strong claim to hosting the final with both Real Madrid's Bernabeu and Barcelona's Camp Nou potential candidates for the final. The Bernabeu recently completed renovations and seats more than 80,000 fans while Barcelona plans for the Camp Nou to hold more than 100,000 when renovations are completed in 2027.
The tug-of-war to host the final has become increasingly political since the end of the 2026 World Cup, won by Spain.
A huge surge of more than 70,000 migrants pushed over Morocco's border crossing into Ceuta, a North African dominion of Spain, in late July, leading to more than 100 deaths and sparking a political crisis.
Political parties in both Spain and Portugal called on their governments to examine their partnership with Morocco as hosts of the 2030 tournament in the wake of the crush.
Lekjaa could have a bigger hand in navigating the relationship between the hosts than expected. In late July, months ahead of Sept. 23 parliamentary elections in Morocco, the 56-year-old formally joined the Authenticity and Modernity Party. That set off speculation he may have his eye on becoming the country's prime minister. The government formed after this year's elections will have large influence over the planning of the 2030 tournament.
Politicians in Spain also have weighed in, saying their country deserves the final and expressing support for the soccer authorities in their country as they push to host the match.
"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," Milagros Tolón, Spain's Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Sports, said in an August radio interview. "We have many advantages and strengths as a country."
FIFA announced the venue for the 2026 final, MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, in February 2024.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Morocco's top soccer official says his country will host 2030 World Cup final
