Spain trembles in the face of Morocco’s alleged influence at FIFA

Initially conceived as an Iberian bid, the project has integrated Morocco at the last minute. As analyzed by El Debate, Rabat does not intend to play a purely symbolic role. The kingdom maintains excellent relations with the presidency of the international body, a proximity confirmed by the opening of an office on Moroccan territory in 2025.

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A real power struggle is now being played out for the allocation of the opening match and the final confrontation. While Spain relies on historic venues, Morocco is deploying ultra-modern infrastructure to seduce the decision-makers. The future Hassan II stadium in Casablanca, with a capacity of 115,000 seats and a budget of 500 million euros, has been specially designed to win the final.

The Moroccan file also relies on the Moulay Abdellah stadium in Rabat, recently renovated for 300 million euros, and on the Grand Stade de Tanger. This massive deployment of infrastructure is accompanied by an undeniable political weight, recently illustrated by the allocation of the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations by administrative decision of CAF.

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It is FIFA, whose inspection visits have just been completed, that will have the final say on the distribution of matches after the 2026 edition. Despite this tough behind-the-scenes competition, the Spanish federation is publicly maintaining its position and assuring that Spain will lead the tournament with a final played on its own territory.