Overview
- Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, told a political rally on Thursday that the province of Benslimane and the under‑construction Hassan II stadium will host the 2030 final.
- FIFA immediately reiterated that no decision has been made on the final venue and repeated earlier denials that its president promised the match to Morocco.
- Spain's football leaders pushed back, with RFEF president Rafael Louzán insisting Spain should stage the final and LaLiga chief Javier Tebas publicly questioning FIFA's denials.
- Morocco's prime minister Aziz Akhannouch publicly rebuked Lekjaa, saying he must not make unilateral promises without consulting Spain and Portugal and warning against using the pledge for electoral gain.
- The dispute spotlights the unfinished 115,000‑seat Hassan II project, the unusual multi‑country 2030 format, and the risk that strained Spain–Morocco ties could complicate final allocations that FIFA says it will set in due course.