World Cup 2030: Spain-Morocco final venue dispute escalates

The row over where the 2030 World Cup final will be played has intensified after a senior Spanish politician accused Morocco of trying to “steal” the match from Spain.

Isabel Diaz Ayuso, president of the Community of Madrid and one of Alberto Nunez Feijoo’s leading supporters within the Partido Popular (PP), backed a threat by the party leader to withdraw Spain from hosting the tournament if Morocco is awarded the final.

Feijoo, president of the PP and a candidate in Spain’s anticipated general election, made the warning during an appearance on Mediaset programme El Chiringuito. He said that, if elected head of government, he would take Spain out of the organisation of the next World Cup should the final be given to Morocco.

The Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid is competing with the Grand Stade Hassan II, which is under construction in Benslimane, to stage the showpiece match.

The Moroccan stadium is planned to have a capacity of approximately 115,000, which would make it the largest stadium in the world. It would surpass the stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, whose estimated capacity of 114,000 currently gives it the record.

In an interview with Telecinco, Diaz Ayuso described Feijoo’s position – widely viewed as an attempt to pressure the organisers – as “reasonable”. She also said her party leader “could not have put it better”.

Diaz Ayuso added that, in her view, Morocco wanted to “steal the World Cup from us right under our noses”.

Her comments have prompted a strong reaction across the Strait of Gibraltar, where the idea that Spain should have priority over the final has been met with disbelief.

In a column, Le360 Sport questioned: “Since when does the 2030 World Cup belong to Spain?”

The tournament is being jointly hosted by Spain, Morocco and Portugal, but FIFA has yet to decide which venue will stage the final. The dispute between the Spanish and Moroccan sides has now gathered fresh momentum as the decision approaches.