Morocco Essential for Spain’s 2030 World Cup Victory

"It would have been impossible for Spain and Portugal alone to obtain the approximately 100 votes needed to host the World Cup. Morocco was necessary," declared Luis Rubiales.

On Bladi.net : World Cup 2030 Morocco SMS Messages Reveal Early Involvement

The former leader believes that a candidacy limited to the two Iberian countries would have been weakened by competition from Saudi Arabia. Riyadh could have, according to him, gathered the votes of the Arab world, including Morocco’s, as well as a large part of African support.

Sánchez Would Have Accelerated the Timeline

Rubiales contests the idea that the Spanish government had "offered" the World Cup to Morocco. He assures that Morocco’s integration was already planned, but at a later stage of discussions.

"Morocco was supposed to arrive later, but Pedro Sánchez wanted to move things forward," he explains to EDATV.

Messages exchanged as early as June 2018 between Rubiales and Morocco’s ambassador to Spain, Karima Benyaich, show that the federation official was already working on a candidacy involving the three countries. He subsequently informed Pedro Sánchez, presenting the project as a future "matter of State."

On Bladi.net : Luis Rubiales: "Without Morocco, Saudi Arabia would have won the 2030 World Cup

The president of the Spanish government had officially proposed to Morocco to join the candidacy during a visit to Rabat in November 2018. The kingdom, however, only formally rejoined the project in March 2023. The Morocco-Spain-Portugal candidacy was ultimately designated to host the 2030 World Cup.