Casablanca does not have the final yet, but it is already suspected of having negotiated it

Morocco has received no official confirmation. The future Grand Stade Hassan II remains in competition with Madrid’s Santiago-Bernabéu to host the most important match of the 2030 World Cup.

On Bladi.net : Infantino Crisis: Could Morocco Lose the 2030 World Cup Final?

Casablanca must nevertheless already respond to the suspicions surrounding a final it has not secured.

According to The Times, Gianni Infantino allegedly proposed awarding the match to Morocco in order to retain the support of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, while his authority is being challenged within FIFA.

The world governing body denies making any promise and recalls that no decision has yet been taken. The FRMF also denies the existence of any agreement with the FIFA president.

These denials close the case officially, but they do not erase the suspicion now attached to Morocco’s bid.

Casablanca’s victory would immediately be contested

Even if the Grand Stade Hassan II were ultimately selected because of its capacity, facilities or the quality of Morocco’s bid, its opponents could attribute the choice to the closeness between Rabat and Infantino.

Spain thus gains a new argument in its battle with Morocco to host the final. Madrid will no longer have to defend only its stadium and experience: it will also be able to demand guarantees regarding the independence of the process.

Morocco therefore risks suffering the consequences of this affair without having obtained the alleged quid pro quo. Casablanca does not have the final, but its bid is already associated with possible horse-trading at the highest level of FIFA.

An award to Morocco could now be interpreted as the fulfillment of the promise reported by the British daily, even in the absence of public evidence of an agreement.

The Grand Stade Hassan II nevertheless has arguments of its own. With 115,000 seats announced, it is set to become one of the largest venues in the world and represents the centerpiece of Morocco’s project for 2030.

But the competition between Casablanca and Madrid is no longer only about the stadiums. It now concerns the very legitimacy of the decision that will be made.

On Bladi.net : 2030 World Cup Final Madrid vs Casablanca Morocco Challenge

The Infantino affair thus places Morocco in a trap: if Casablanca loses, the kingdom will have obtained nothing; if it wins, it will have to demonstrate that its final was not negotiated.