Morocco’s World Cup Ambitions Outshine Spain, Says Top Journalist

"Morocco is now at the forefront of emerging countries in the field of football, and it is one of the countries that has experienced the strongest growth and the greatest development in this area. [...] It clearly surpasses Spain in the field of sports infrastructure and modern stadiums," said the renowned Spanish journalist Joaquín Maroto, deputy director of the sports newspaper "AS" during a colloquium entitled "The media coverage of football in multicultural contexts", organized as part of the work of the 41st congress of journalists from both shores, held in the Spanish city of Huelva from October 16 to 19, 2025, on the theme "2030 World Cup: three countries, a common history".

He points out that "the popular enthusiasm in Morocco to host the World Cup is much greater than in Spain". He insists: "I say it sincerely, Morocco is much more advanced than us in terms of organization, work and infrastructure related to stadiums. They are better prepared, and their preparation and enthusiasm to organize the World Cup seem superior to those of Spain." These findings lead him to predict that Casablanca will be a serious contender to Madrid for hosting the 2030 World Cup final: "Many in Spain are convinced that the final match will be held in Madrid, but I’m not sure, because Casablanca will be an extremely strong competitor until the end".

The Spanish journalist, who has covered ten editions of the World Cup, adds: "the question does not depend only on technical aspects, but also on international geopolitical factors that will influence the final decision".