FIFA has said it has not decided where the 2030 World Cup final will be played, rejecting the suggestion that Morocco has already secured the match.
A FIFA spokesperson told Reuters that the governing body would make its decision “in due course”. FIFA did not provide a date for the announcement.
The response followed a statement by Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, who said the final would be staged at the new Hassan II Stadium in Benslimane, near Casablanca.
Moroccan football chief claims final
Reuters, citing the Spanish news agency EFE, reported that Lekjaa made the claim at a political event in Bouznika on 10 September.
Lekjaa said Benslimane would have the honour of hosting the final. However, FIFA has not confirmed his statement.
The proposed 115,000-seat Hassan II Stadium is being built in Benslimane, about 60 kilometres from Casablanca. Reuters reported that the project is expected to cost about $1 billion.
Construction was around 30 per cent complete in May 2026, according to Reuters. Officials overseeing the project hope to finish it by the end of 2027.
If completed as planned, the stadium would become one of the world’s largest football grounds.
Morocco’s prime minister questions claim
Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch criticised Lekjaa’s statement on 11 September, saying the final had not been agreed with the country’s co-hosts.
Reuters quoted Akhannouch as saying Morocco should not promise to host the final before discussing the matter with Spain and Portugal.
He also warned against turning the venue into an electoral promise ahead of elections in Morocco.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation had not issued a further explanation at the time of publication.
Spain also wants the final
Spain is also pushing to host the final.
Rafael Louzan, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, told Cadena SER radio that no FIFA decision had been made. However, he argued that Spain’s experience of organising major sporting events made it the right choice.
Louzan also pointed to Spain’s position as the defending world champion following its victory at the 2026 World Cup.
The competing statements show that discussions over the final remain unsettled, even though the tournament’s main host countries have already been confirmed.
What FIFA has confirmed
FIFA’s official tournament information confirms that Morocco, Portugal and Spain will host most matches at the 2030 World Cup.
Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will each stage one centenary celebration match. The arrangement will mark 100 years since Uruguay hosted the first World Cup in 1930.
The tournament will therefore be played across six countries and three continents, making it the first men’s World Cup organised in that format.
Morocco’s participation will also bring World Cup matches back to Africa for the first time since South Africa hosted the competition in 2010.
FIFA has not finalised every host city or allocated the final to any of the three main host countries.
In August, FIFA described earlier reports that its president, Gianni Infantino, had promised the final to Morocco as “false and misleading”, according to Reuters.
Until FIFA makes a formal announcement, claims that Morocco or Spain has secured the final remain unconfirmed.
