FIFA said Friday that no decision has been made on the venue for the 2030 World Cup final, following remarks by Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, that the championship match would be played in Ben Slimane.
A FIFA spokesperson told Agence France-Presse that the governing body’s position remains unchanged from its previous statement, adding that “a decision will be made by FIFA in due course.”
Morocco, Spain and Portugal will jointly host the 2030 World Cup, while three centenary matches are scheduled to be played in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. FIFA officially appointed the three European and African co-hosts in December 2024.
The proposed Hassan II Stadium in Ben Slimane is among Morocco’s potential venues for the final. The planned stadium is expected to accommodate about 115,000 spectators, while Spain is promoting Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu as a potential venue.
Lekjaa, who is also a political bureau member of Morocco’s Authenticity and Modernity Party, said during a campaign event in Bouznika that Ben Slimane would host the final “whether some people like it or not.”
Spain remains in the race
Spanish Football Federation President Rafael Louzán said Spain would not easily withdraw from the competition to host the final.
Speaking to the Spanish radio program El Partidazo de COPE, Louzán said Spain has formal agreements involving the co-hosting countries, the Spanish government and the relevant football authorities.
He said Spain, alongside Portugal and Morocco, has the technical and organizational capacity to host the final.
Louzán characterized the Moroccan statements about Ben Slimane as part of Morocco’s domestic political and electoral context, rather than as a definitive step in the official process for selecting the final venue.
Spanish sports analyst Elías Israel similarly argued that the competition for the final would depend more on negotiations and institutional discussions than on public statements.
Akhannouch urges caution
Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch had already criticized the premature announcement of the final’s venue during a campaign rally in Mediouna province.
Akhannouch called for respect for Spain and Portugal and urged Moroccan politicians not to announce commitments before consultations with the country’s co-hosting partners.
“Do not promise that a major final will be held in Morocco when we have not yet spoken with our allies in Spain or Portugal,” Akhannouch said.
He also rejected attempts to claim political credit for major national infrastructure projects, including the planned Hassan II Stadium.
Akhannouch said the stadium’s location was selected by King Mohammed VI and that its construction is being financed with state resources, arguing that such projects should not be presented as the achievement of an individual or political party.
His remarks came after Lekjaa’s statements linking Ben Slimane directly to the World Cup final. FIFA subsequently reiterated that the venue decision has not yet been made.
Ben Slimane and Santiago Bernabéu
The Hassan II Stadium in Ben Slimane is central to Morocco’s bid to host the final, with a planned capacity of approximately 115,000. Reuters reported that construction of the proposed $1 billion stadium was underway and that completion was expected by the end of 2027.
Madrid, meanwhile, is promoting the Santiago Bernabéu, the home of Real Madrid, which underwent a major modernization project and remains one of Spain’s leading candidates for the match.
Real Madrid coach José Mourinho also weighed into the debate Friday, expressing a preference for the final to be held in Madrid. He said the Santiago Bernabéu’s history and symbolism made it particularly suited to hosting the tournament’s decisive match.
For now, however, neither Ben Slimane nor Madrid has been selected. FIFA’s official information confirms that Morocco, Spain and Portugal will host the main tournament, but the governing body has yet to announce the venue for the final.
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