Competition is escalating between Spain and Morocco to host the final match of the 2030 World Cup, at a time when FIFA is still far from officially settling the issue, as the final decision-making process will not begin until at least next year, and may extend to 2028. However, the features of the scene appear clear, as the data circulating within the corridors of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) indicate that the “Santiago Bernabeu” stadium in Madrid is progressing to host the most important match in the tournament, with one of the two semi-final matches being held in Casablanca, The other is in Barcelona.
According to the Spanish newspaper “AS”, nothing has changed so far in the proposed scenario for hosting the 2030 World Cup final, despite the mounting media and public tension between Spain and Morocco regarding the identity of the city that will host the match. The newspaper believes that Spain still has great influence in the world of football, while Morocco has achieved remarkable progress at various levels in recent years, but it is still far from the extent of Spanish influence within the game system.
The “Bernabeu” file is also linked to a previous relationship between Real Madrid and Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, as “AS” indicates that there has been an unwritten understanding between the two parties for a long time, based on the idea of holding the final in the Madrid club’s stadium. Although relations between Infantino and Real Madrid have cooled over the past period, this does not mean, according to the newspaper, that the previous scenario has been cancelled.
These developments come in light of a state of uncertainty within FIFA, many of the details of which will not become clear before the next presidential elections, scheduled for March, in which Infantino is running in pursuit of a new term, or at the end of November when the picture becomes clear regarding the presence of a competitor to him in the electoral race. AS believes that the results of this process may affect a number of outstanding issues within world football, including the arrangements for the 2030 World Cup.
The file of hosting the final has repeatedly returned to the forefront during the recent period, with the exchange of statements and signals from the Spanish and Moroccan sides regarding the city nominated for the match. This competition reveals, according to the Spanish newspaper, that the level of coordination and cooperation between the three parties involved in organizing the tournament is still far from ideal, even though the joint project includes Spain, Morocco and Portugal.
Morocco currently has an increasing political and sporting presence, in conjunction with campaigns to promote the readiness of its stadiums and the infrastructure for the tournament, in addition to signs described as supportive from Infantino, which contributed to increasing speculation about the possibility of moving the final to Morocco. But the file, according to “AS”, had included, since the nomination stage, an initial scenario stipulating that the final would be held in the “Santiago Bernabeu” stadium, without this turning into a binding agreement, given that “FIFA” is the body that has the final decision regarding organizing the World Cup.
In the coming months, FIFA is expected to begin a new phase of preparation for the tournament, including establishing the company that will manage World Cup operations, a step that has not yet officially begun. After launching this process, the International Federation will begin reviewing the files of the nominated cities and stadiums, in addition to conducting field visits and assessing the readiness of the new facilities, and the required updates to the existing stadiums in accordance with the tournament standards.
The final stadium will be one of the most prominent files that will be subject to this evaluation, especially since the recent World Cup experience showed that FIFA may make amendments to the venues for holding matches even after they have been initially determined. The 2026 World Cup final was initially scheduled for Dallas before the match was moved to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in 2024.
Accordingly, the Spanish-Moroccan conflict over the 2030 World Cup final is still in its early stages, while the Santiago Bernabeu remains the most prominent candidate in the current scenario, until FIFA officially begins the process of evaluating the cities and stadiums and making the final decision regarding the distribution of matches.
