Overview
- The president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Fouzi Lekjaa, said the 2030 final will be held in Benslimane at the Hassan II Stadium during a political event on Thursday, a statement carried by multiple news agencies.
- FIFA has responded by reiterating that it has not chosen a final venue and has denied reports that its president promised the match to Morocco, saying a decision will be taken in due course.
- Spanish football leaders have publicly pressed their own claim to host the final and diplomatic relations between Madrid and Rabat have been strained since the large July migrant crossing into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
- The Hassan II Stadium in Benslimane is under construction with a projected capacity of about 115,000 and a reported completion target around 2027, which Morocco presents as the centerpiece of its bid.
- The episode underscores two risks to the tournament: the politicization of venue bargaining that could complicate FIFA’s internal governance and the potential for the dispute to spill into wider Spain–Morocco diplomatic and logistical planning; the federation bodies and FIFA statements are the key developments to watch next.