2030 World Cup final: Morocco’s Lekjaa takes fresh swipe at Spain

Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Moroccan football federation, has renewed his criticism of Spain as the contest over the venue for the 2030 World Cup final intensifies.

Morocco’s proposed venue is the Grand Stade Hassan II, currently under construction in Benslimane, near Casablanca. The stadium is expected to hold 115,000 spectators, which would make it one of the largest football grounds in the world.

It is being presented as Morocco’s answer to the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain’s preferred option for the final. FIFA has yet to decide where the match will take place, but the rival bids have been accompanied by increasingly pointed exchanges in recent months.

Speaking to Jeune Afrique, Lekjaa was asked about what his interviewer described as “very competitive” discussions and where the final would be staged. The head of the Federation royale marocaine de football (FRMF) rejected the idea that Morocco was engaged in a direct rivalry with Spain, suggesting instead that the Spanish side was the one viewing the process in those terms.

Lekjaa portrayed Morocco as seeking cooperation, although the country’s principal ambition remains to host a second World Cup final in Africa after South Africa staged the showpiece in 2010.

His comments underline his continuing confidence in Morocco’s bid and his belief that Spain is showing a lack of calm because of the possibility of losing the right to host the final.

However, his latest remarks were more restrained than comments he made several days earlier at a meeting organised by the Parti Authenticite et Modernite in Bouznika.

On that occasion, Lekjaa appeared to go further by insisting the final would be played in Morocco, while also taking aim at the Madrid media, which has backed Spain’s chances.

“Every day, I hear the chatter from Marca… The final will be in Benslimane, at the Hassan II stadium,” he said.

“What you need to know is that the Hassan II stadium in the province of Benslimane is where the 2030 World Cup final will be played.”

The 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal, with matches also scheduled in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay as part of the tournament’s centenary celebrations. The competition’s final venue remains subject to FIFA’s decision.