Rabat: Morocco’s Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch has publicly rebuked the country’s top football official after he declared that the 2030 FIFA World Cup final would be played near Casablanca, despite FIFA having made no such decision.
Royal Moroccan Football Federation President Fouzi Lekjaa said at a political party event that the province of Benslimane would have the “honour” of hosting the final, intensifying competition among the tournament’s three main co-hosts, Morocco, Spain and Portugal.
Akhannouch criticised the announcement, stressing that a decision of such magnitude could not be made unilaterally.
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“Do not offer to host the big final game in Morocco while we still have not discussed the matter with our allies, Spain and Portugal. There should be some respect, brothers,” the Prime Minister said at a rally ahead of elections later this month.
He also warned against turning the World Cup final into an electoral promise.
“Stop using electoral promises to pull the rug out from under us. These are huge matters. Deciding where the final will be held is a major issue,” Akhannouch said.
FIFA has confirmed Morocco, Spain and Portugal as the principal hosts of the 2030 World Cup, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay each staging a centenary celebration match. However, world football’s governing body has yet to decide which country will stage the final.
The debate has also intensified in Spain, where Spanish Football Federation President Rafael Louzan has argued that his country should stage the showpiece match, pointing to Spain’s footballing pedigree and experience in hosting major sporting events.
Morocco, meanwhile, is developing the proposed 115,000-seat Hassan II Stadium in Benslimane, around 60 kilometres from Casablanca, as a centrepiece of its 2030 World Cup plans. The stadium was reported to be around 30 per cent complete as of May, with officials targeting completion by the end of 2027.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation did not respond to a request for comment on Lekjaa’s remarks.
The final venue remains one of the biggest unanswered questions surrounding the 2030 tournament. FIFA has said a decision will be made in due course.
