Morocco has claimed the 2030 World Cup final will be played near Casablanca, but FIFA insists it has yet to decide where football’s biggest match will take place.
Royal Moroccan Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa made the claim on Thursday at a political party event in Bouznika, Morocco. According to Spanish news agency EFE, Lekjaa said Benslimane province would have the honour of hosting the final.
“The province of Benslimane will have the honour of hosting the 2030 World Cup final,” Lekjaa said.
Benslimane lies about 60km from Casablanca and will house the new Hassan II Stadium. The $1 billion project has a planned capacity of 115,000, which would make it the world’s largest football-specific stadium.
FIFA, however, has not awarded the final to Morocco. A FIFA spokesperson said a decision would be made “in due course”.
The uncertainty keeps the battle with Spain alive. Both countries want to stage the tournament’s final, while Morocco, Spain and Portugal will jointly host the 2030 World Cup.
The issue has already generated controversy. FIFA rejected recent reports that president Gianni Infantino had promised Morocco the final, calling those claims “false and misleading”. EFE also reported in August that FIFA had denied any decision had been taken.
Spain has made its own case. Spanish Football Federation president Rafael Louzán recently said the final should be played in Spain, while the Spanish government has also backed that position.
The 2030 tournament will already break new ground. Morocco, Portugal and Spain will stage most of the competition, while Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will each host a centenary celebration match. FIFA officially appointed the six-country arrangement in December 2024.
