Louzán on the 2030 World Cup final: “This should have been closed at the time”

Rafael Louzán, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, said he was “very calm” on Thursday after the head of Morocco's football federation claimed that Casablanca will host the 2030 World Cup final, an announcement FIFA contradicted just hours later. Speaking to radio station COPE, the Spanish official played down the remarks and placed them within the context of the election campaign that has just begun in the North African country.

• Louzán describes the Moroccan federation president's Casablanca comments as part of an election campaign.
• FIFA denied the announcement and retains the final decision on the World Cup final venue.
• The RFEF president argues that Spain “must be the organiser of the final”.
• Spain hopes to keep eleven host venues, pending the addition of Vigo and Valencia.
• Louzán says the issue “should have been closed at the time”.

Morocco's election campaign and the announcement denied by FIFA

For Rafael Louzán, the remarks from the president of Morocco's football federation should not be read as an official decision. The Spanish official explained that an electoral process is underway in the neighbouring country and that the Moroccan football chief is a candidate in those elections. “I think there is a campaign in Morocco and the federation president is a candidate,” he told COPE.

The RFEF president admitted that he has not had direct contact with his Moroccan counterpart for some time and described the episode as “one more” within a calendar that still has many pending decisions. In his view, Spain's role in this bid is clear and leaves no room for doubt: the country is the project's promoter and must take on the tournament's most important match.

FIFA's role and Gianni Infantino's upcoming visit

The final word on where the 2030 World Cup final will be played belongs to FIFA. Louzán noted that Gianni Infantino, president of the governing body, will visit Spain, Morocco and Portugal in the coming months together with a FIFA delegation. It will be then, he said, that the parties will “talk long and thoroughly” about a file that still has unresolved matters, including the final confirmation of host venues.

The federation president urged calm and insisted there is no reason for nervousness. He was also critical of Morocco's approach, accusing the country of conveying “concerns” instead of working to “strengthen this candidacy”, a joint project he considers solid but one that requires unity among the three host nations.

Louzán's self-criticism: “This should have been closed at the time”

Rafael Louzán also looked back and left a direct message about the management of his predecessors at the head of the RFEF. In his view, the addition of Morocco to the World Cup bid should have served to secure the final venue, an issue that was left unresolved. “This issue should have been closed at the time. It hasn't been, but I have full confidence in Spain,” he said.

Spain is the promoter and there must be no doubt that it should be the organiser of the final. FIFA has the last word.

The RFEF president also made clear that Spain does not contemplate withdrawing from the tournament if it ultimately does not land the decisive match. He pointed to the signed agreements, patience and common sense as the guiding principles for an outcome that, he believes, should favour Spanish football.

The eleven Spanish venues and the timeline for the final decision

On the subject of venues, Louzán recalled that Spain has nine cities in its plans and expressed confidence that the number will eventually rise to eleven, with Valencia and Vigo joining the list. However, he clarified that all of them currently hold “pre-candidate” status because nothing has been signed yet. Under the current allocation, Morocco would have six venues and Portugal three.

The Spanish official explained that in previous World Cups the final venue was known roughly a year in advance. For the 2030 tournament, he believes the logical scenario is a decision after the FIFA elections, which will be held in March next year. “We have more than enough arguments to host the final,” he stressed.

His closing message was a vindication of the strength of the Spanish bid. Louzán described Spain as an “unbeatable” country when it comes to staging major sporting events and noted that this potential grows when everyone involved rows in the same direction.

Frequently asked questions about the 2030 World Cup final