FIFA has said no decision has been made on the venue for the 2030 World Cup final, despite claims by Moroccan football federation president Fouzi Lekjaa that the showpiece match would be played in Morocco.
Morocco, Spain and Portugal will jointly host the 2030 World Cup, with the three countries already competing to stage the final.
The leading contenders are the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid and a planned 115,000-capacity stadium in Benslimane, near Casablanca.
Lekjaa had said on Wednesday that Morocco would host the final, insisting that the match would take place in Benslimane.
“Benslimane province will host the World Cup final. Whether some people like it or not,” Lekjaa said during a public meeting in the region, according to video published by local media.
However, FIFA clarified on Friday that the final decision was yet to be made.
“As communicated on 5 August 2026, a decision will be made by FIFA in due course,” a FIFA spokesperson told AFP.
The development has sparked reactions in Spain, with Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho backing the Santiago Bernabeu as the ideal venue for the final.
“If you can play in a legendary, historic stadium, where some of the greatest players in history have played, the stadium of the most important club in the history of football, then I think it should be here,” Mourinho said on Friday.
Mourinho, a former Portugal coach, added that he would have made a similar argument for Lisbon if he were coaching Benfica.
