Morocco PM tells federation chief to stop promising 2030 World Cup final

Morocco's prime minister, Aziz Akhannouch, has publicly told football federation president Fouzi Lekjaa to stop announcing that Casablanca will host the 2030 World Cup final. The warning comes as Spanish federation chief Rafael Louzan argues the decisive match should be played in Spain, leaving one of the biggest questions around the next World Cup unresolved.

• Akhannouch scolded Lekjaa for promising the final in Casablanca without discussing it with Spain and Portugal.
• Louzan believes the final should be held in Spain, which won the 2026 World Cup.
• Fifa has yet to confirm which stadium will stage the final, though a provisional list of venues exists.
• Morocco is planning a 115,000-seat stadium that would be the largest football ground in the world.
• The 2030 World Cup will begin with three matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to mark the tournament's centenary.

Akhannouch's public rebuke to Lekjaa over the 2030 final

At a political rally, Lekjaa declared that Casablanca would have the honour of staging the biggest game of the tournament. The comment did not go down well with the Moroccan government. Akhannouch, speaking at the same event, made it clear that offering the final was not acceptable while the matter had not yet been discussed with Spain and Portugal, the other two co-hosts.

There should be some respect, brothers. 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.

The prime minister framed his remarks around the importance of protecting Morocco's relationship with its partners. The distribution of matches, and especially the location of the final, has become a sensitive topic among the three federations, which share hosting duties but compete for the spotlight.

Spain pushes to host the 2030 World Cup final as reigning champions

Rafael Louzan, president of the Spanish football federation, has repeatedly argued that the final should be played in Spain. His main points are that Spain won its second men's World Cup in 2026 and that the country's ability to organise major events is beyond question.

Even though no decision has been taken, I believe Spain is the place because it cannot be any other way. As you know, we are currently world champions.

Louzan made the comments on Spanish radio station Cadena SER. For the federation chief, reality dictates that the grand final cannot and must not be held anywhere other than Spain, a stance that directly clashes with Morocco's ambitions and keeps the battle for the showpiece alive.

What Fifa has said about the 2030 final venue

Fifa, the tournament organiser, has only said that a decision will be made in due course. While a proposed list of host stadiums has been put forward, neither the final line-up nor the venue for the showpiece has been confirmed. The 2026 edition offers a useful precedent: New Jersey was not announced as host of the final until February 2024, just two years before the event.

That timeline leaves room for negotiations between Morocco, Spain and Portugal. In the meantime, the public statements from Lekjaa and Louzan are fuelling a debate that is unlikely to be settled quickly.

The stadiums in contention: Casablanca, Madrid and Barcelona

Morocco's mega-project

Morocco is building a stadium with a capacity of 115,000, which would make it the largest football venue in the world. The bid is clear: secure an unrivalled infrastructure to strengthen the case for hosting the final.

Spain's strong options

In Spain, the Santiago Bernabeu has recently been renovated and now holds 83,000 spectators. The Spotify Camp Nou will reach 105,000 seats once its own renovations are complete. Both are serious options that reinforce Spain's push for the decisive match.

The centenary World Cup: a South American opening

The 2030 World Cup will have a unique format to celebrate 100 years of the tournament. Although Morocco, Spain and Portugal are the main hosts, the opening three matches will be played in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. It is a tribute to the inaugural 1930 edition, held in Uruguay, where the host nation became the first world champion.