Spain threatened with 2030 World Cup withdrawal if Morocco is awarded final

Spain’s participation in the 2030 FIFA World Cup could be thrown into uncertainty after opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo called for the country to withdraw from hosting the tournament if Morocco is selected to stage the final.

The leader of Spain’s opposition People’s Party has taken a firm position on the issue, insisting that the European nation should not remain part of the hosting arrangement if it is denied the opportunity to organise the competition’s showpiece fixture.

His comments have intensified the debate over where the final of the centenary World Cup should be played, with Morocco, Spain and Portugal all involved in the joint hosting arrangement.

Although FIFA has yet to announce which country will stage the final, the possibility of Morocco securing the prestigious fixture has become a contentious issue in Spain.

“If Morocco ends up hosting the final, Spain should leave the organisation (of the tournament),” Feijóo told Spanish television programme El Chiringuito TV.

The opposition leader subsequently reinforced his position in a post on X, arguing that Spain must defend its national interests and should not accept being overlooked for the tournament’s biggest match.

“Restoring our country’s pride also means not letting anyone walk all over us.

“The World Cup final belongs to Spain. The world’s top footballing nation is not humiliated. I will defend my country’s interests. In this too.”

Morocco and Spain battle for World Cup showpiece

The 2030 World Cup will mark 100 years since the inaugural edition was staged in Uruguay in 1930.

Morocco, Spain and Portugal have been selected as the principal hosts, while Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will each stage one of the tournament’s opening three matches as part of celebrations marking the competition’s centenary.

However, the allocation of the final remains unresolved, with FIFA yet to communicate an official decision on which of the three main host nations will receive the honour.

Spain has two prominent stadiums in contention, with the renovated Santiago Bernabéu and Barcelona’s Camp Nou representing potential venues for the final.

Morocco, meanwhile, is pushing for its proposed 115,000-capacity Grande Stade Hassan II in Casablanca to stage the match.

The planned facility would become one of the largest football stadiums in the world, strengthening Morocco’s ambition to host the most prestigious fixture of the tournament.

Feijóo’s intervention adds a political dimension to the competition between the two countries, with the Spanish opposition leader making it clear that he believes the final should be staged on Spanish soil.

Morocco strengthens its position within FIFA

Morocco’s growing involvement in international football has also brought the country closer to FIFA’s leadership and major events.

The North African nation is currently hosting the FIFA Under-17 Men’s World Cup and has also emerged as an important location for the governing body’s administrative activities.

In August, Morocco hosted an emergency meeting of the FIFA management board at a time when president Gianni Infantino was facing a political threat.

The country is also scheduled to host next year’s FIFA Congress, where Infantino is seeking to secure a fourth term as president.

These developments further underline Morocco’s increasing presence within FIFA, as it continues preparations for its role in the 2030 World Cup.

Despite the growing competition over the final, FIFA has maintained that the decision on the venue will be communicated in due course.

Until then, the uncertainty surrounding the showpiece fixture is likely to remain a talking point, particularly in Spain, where Feijóo’s threat has raised questions about the country’s commitment to the joint hosting project if Morocco gets its way.