Infantino’s Morocco strategy puts 2030 World Cup final at heart of FIFA election battle

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is seeking to strengthen his position before the next presidential election by deepening ties with African football associations, with Morocco emerging as a key part of his strategy, according to The Daily Telegraph.

Infantino’s relationship with a number of European football bodies has come under pressure, but Africa’s 54 national associations represent more than a quarter of FIFA’s membership and could have a decisive influence on the outcome of the election.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, journalist Tim Wigmore reported that Infantino’s visit to Rabat this week was part of an effort to protect his position. During the trip, he met members of the FIFA Council and officials from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

CAF has not joined the continental bodies that have expressed declining confidence in Infantino. Its president, Patrice Motsepe, has instead offered public support for the FIFA president to remain in office.

Four members of the FIFA Council have also stated their backing for Infantino, including CAF vice-president Fouzi Lekjaa, the Moroccan football official.

CAF’s executive committee additionally issued a statement unanimously supporting a joint update from Infantino and FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom about the recent controversy surrounding a proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup to investors.

Infantino later withdrew that proposal after it faced strong criticism, particularly from European football bodies.

Morocco and the 2030 final

The Telegraph report said Infantino’s increasing support for Morocco to host the 2030 World Cup final should also be viewed in the context of his efforts to secure African backing.

The Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid had previously been regarded as the leading candidate to stage the final. However, Infantino is now reported to be pushing for the match to be played at the Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca.

The new stadium is under construction and is planned to have a capacity of 115,000, which would make it the biggest football stadium in the world.

Wigmore said hosting the final in Morocco would give Infantino an opportunity to increase his support among African associations. A final in Spain, by contrast, would do little to improve his electoral prospects because of his deteriorating relationship with UEFA.

Morocco’s importance is also linked to the timing and location of the election itself. The next FIFA presidential election is due to take place at the organisation’s congress in the North African country in March, while Infantino has already indicated that he wants to stand for a fourth term.

His position has placed him at the centre of the growing dispute between Morocco and Spain. Political tensions between the two countries have increased, particularly following the recent migration crisis involving the Spanish city of Ceuta.

That has added a geopolitical dimension to the argument over where the 2030 World Cup final should be played. The disagreement is also being reflected within football, with Spain opposed to the prospect of the match being moved to Morocco.

Royal Spanish Football Federation president Rafael Louzan previously said Spain would be “the leader of the 2030 World Cup” and insisted that the final should be held on Spanish territory.

The report also noted that calls had been made in the Spanish parliament for Morocco to be removed as a co-host of the 2030 World Cup.

According to The Daily Telegraph, Infantino sees the tensions as a chance to strengthen his image as a leader seeking to expand football’s influence beyond its traditional European centres of power. His approach relies heavily on the African bloc, which played an important role in helping his predecessors, Joao Havelange and Sepp Blatter, remain FIFA presidents for many years.