Moroccan Football Chief Denies Rumors of Fez Stadium Exclusion from 2030 World Cup

"The FIFA Congress has validated the six Moroccan stadiums planned for the tournament. There is therefore no change on this subject," said Fouzi Lekjaa, during an intervention before the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises, thus denying the information relayed by Spanish media claiming that FIFA is considering reducing the number of Moroccan stadiums selected to host the 2030 World Cup matches. The president of the FRMF also assured that the Fez stadium is not excluded from the tournament’s plans. "We are continuing the preparations, in particular by finalizing the work at the Fez stadium in order to highlight this city with an exceptional scientific and cultural heritage," he added, reaffirming that the Moroccan candidacy, validated in its entirety, remains unchanged and that the preparation work is progressing in accordance with the set deadlines.

According to Morocco’s World Cup bid dossier, the Fez stadium renovation project received a FIFA evaluation score of 4.1 out of 5, placing it among the strongest candidates in the Moroccan portfolio. The work is supervised by the National Company for the Management of Sports Infrastructures (SONARGES). It will be carried out in two phases. The first, which began in January 2024, includes the modernization of the locker rooms, the main entrances and various interior facilities. Its objective is to prepare the stadium to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) which will take place in Morocco.