Macron Pushes for Morocco to Host 2030 World Cup Final, Challenging Spain’s Bid

Macron is seeking to establish French presence on the international stage through this initiative, says the Spanish newspaper El Debate. The 2030 World Cup, jointly organized by Spain, Morocco and Portugal, is distinguished by its transcontinental nature, involving Europe and Africa, and possibly South America for the early matches.

Although Spain seems a logical choice for the final - the same source specifies - with its renovated Santiago Bernabéu stadium capable of accommodating more than 80,000 spectators, Morocco also offers a modern stadium in Casablanca. Portugal, on the other hand, is excluded from this competition due to the lack of a stadium meeting FIFA’s capacity requirements.

Using his influence in international football, the French president is pressing FIFA for the final to be held in Morocco, highlighting the fact that Spain has already hosted a World Cup final, while Morocco, despite several past candidacies and close collaboration with FIFA, has never had this opportunity.

This Macron initiative, if successful, could be a blow to Spain, which already has the largest number of sites and matches for the 2030 World Cup. The Spanish government, aware of these pressures, is actively working to ensure that the final is held in Spain. The RFEF (Spanish Football Federation), although not having taken a public position, has received the support of the Secretary of State for Sports, who hopes to see the final held in Spain.

With the final decision not yet made, France is proposing a compromise: the semi-finals in Spain, and the final in Morocco. Spain, for its part, can count on a good relationship with the FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, who knows Spanish football well and has been an intern at LaLiga. Real Madrid also plays a key role in these negotiations, while the RFEF is awaiting new elections to strengthen its position in this international debate.