Portugal’s Livre (Free) party has called for Morocco to be removed as a co-host of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, arguing that the tournament should be staged exclusively by Spain and Portugal following the recent migrant crisis in Ceuta.
In an open letter addressed to Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and Portuguese Football Federation President Pedro Proença, the party said Morocco should no longer co-host the tournament alongside Spain and Portugal, alleging that it had violated international law.
Party leaders Jorge Pinto and Isabel Mendes Lopes also accused Morocco of orchestrating the recent events in Ceuta, though they did not provide evidence to support the claim.
The two leaders further blamed Morocco for the reported deaths linked to the crisis, stating that “Portugal cannot tolerate the normalization of violence at the borders, the violation of human rights, and the political instrumentalization of people in vulnerable situations.”
The letter urged the European Union and UEFA to support a World Cup hosted solely by Portugal and Spain, arguing that only the two countries meet the necessary conditions to organize the tournament.
Morocco has not publicly responded to the letter.
The country has invested heavily in football infrastructure in recent years as it prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal. It also hosted the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, an event widely regarded as a major milestone for African football.
The Free Party also criticized Morocco’s policy on Western Sahara, alleging “decades of systematic violations” of human rights, the denial of the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination, and the failure to hold a referendum on the territory’s future.
Speaking to Portuguese public broadcaster RTP on Tuesday, Pinto described the recent incident as “the last straw,” calling it part of what he characterized as “a series of attacks against European borders.”
He compared the alleged use of migrants to tactics he claimed had previously been employed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
Pinto also criticized Morocco’s closer ties with the United States during former President Donald Trump’s administration and with the Israeli government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The open letter also criticized FIFA President Gianni Infantino, arguing that the selection of World Cup hosts has long faced scrutiny over transparency. It cited the awarding of tournaments to Russia, Qatar, and the United States as examples of bidding processes that have been questioned by various organizations.
The party’s allegations have not been supported by publicly available evidence, and Morocco has not publicly responded to the accusations.
Meanwhile, Morocco continues to expand its football infrastructure ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup. The country is constructing and renovating several stadiums, including the planned Hassan II Stadium, which is expected to accommodate 115,000 spectators and is considered a key part of Morocco’s bid to host the tournament’s final.
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