FIFA denies Morocco was promised 2030 World Cup final

FIFA has denied reports that president Gianni Infantino offered Morocco the right to host the 2030 World Cup final in an attempt to secure African backing before an election.

A report in The Times claimed Infantino, who is currently in Morocco, had promised that the final would be played at the planned Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca if the country publicly supported him amid growing calls for him to leave office.

However, FIFA rejected the allegation. A spokesperson told Spanish newspaper AS: “It is incorrect and misleading to claim that the FIFA president has made any promises regarding the organisation of the 2030 World Cup final. FIFA will make its decision in due course.”

Morocco will co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal. Three opening matches will be played in South America as part of celebrations marking the centenary of the first staging of the tournament.

Morocco wants the final to be held at the Hassan II Stadium, a proposed 115,000-capacity venue in Casablanca. Once completed, it is expected to become the largest football stadium in the world.

The Santiago Bernabeu is regarded as the leading alternative to host the final. The Spanish Football Federation remains confident the match will be played at Real Madrid’s stadium, although it has recently become more suspicious of FIFA’s behind-the-scenes dealings.

AS reported that Infantino met members of his close circle in Morocco on Wednesday. The meeting was intended to clarify the positions of those involved in the current crisis and develop a strategy to rebuild momentum after a failed attempt to launch a project involving the sale of 20% of the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to a number of investment funds, some of which were linked to Donald Trump.

The Spanish newspaper said the Santiago Bernabeu had long been the favourite to stage the final, particularly because of the strong relationship between Infantino and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.

It added that the close ties between FIFA’s president and Morocco had put that preference under threat in recent months.

“While FIFA’s political relations with Morocco and its allies have strengthened, its relations with Spain in this regard have declined,” AS reported.

The newspaper said the last meeting between Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Infantino took place during a brief visit to New York a year ago.

Infantino has not visited Spain since Luis Rubiales was president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, according to AS. By contrast, he has visited Morocco four times in two years, opened a FIFA office there and is due to attend the next meeting of the FIFA Council in Rabat.

That meeting will also include the election, although the source article does not specify which election is being referred to.

AS concluded that the Spanish federation remains convinced the final will stay at the Bernabeu, its preferred choice of the two Spanish stadiums under consideration. Its confidence has nevertheless been affected by growing doubts about FIFA’s dealings away from public view.