2030 World Cup final dispute: Spain remain in hosting plans despite Morocco row

Spain have no intention of withdrawing from the 2030 World Cup hosting project despite an escalating dispute with Morocco over where the final will be played, Spanish Football Federation president Rafael Louzan has said.

The tournament is due to be staged jointly by Spain, Morocco and Portugal. However, the partners remain at odds over which country should host the competition’s concluding match.

Speaking to Spanish television programme El Chiringuito, Louzan said the Spanish federation remained committed to its bid to stage the final. He added that Spain had already communicated its position to world governing body FIFA, stressing the importance of holding the most prominent and widely watched match of the tournament on Spanish soil.

The dispute intensified after Alberto Feijoo, leader of Spain’s People’s Party, suggested that Spain could withdraw from the 2030 hosting project if it was not awarded the final and the match was instead given to Morocco.

Feijoo’s comments brought renewed attention to the rivalry between the two countries over the tournament’s most important fixtures, despite their involvement in the same bid alongside Portugal.

Louzan said he was aware of Feijoo’s remarks, which linked Spain’s continued participation in the joint hosting plan to the final being played in the country.

His intervention was intended to distinguish the federation’s official position from political statements. Louzan made clear that withdrawing from the tournament organisation was not under consideration.

Spain therefore remains part of the three-country hosting proposal while the disagreement over the distribution of matches continues. The final has become the central point of contention between Spain and Morocco, with both seeking to stage the match that will crown the world champions in 2030.

Hosting the final would carry significance beyond the sporting occasion. Its worldwide audience would bring substantial international media attention and public visibility to the country selected to hold it, making the decision especially important in both Spain and Morocco.

FIFA is expected to determine the location and host country for the final as part of the final arrangements for the tournament.

Until that decision is made, the contest between Spain and Morocco remains unresolved. Louzan’s comments, however, confirm that Spain continues to support the joint hosting project and reject the suggestion that it is preparing to withdraw because of the disagreement over the concluding match.