FIFA has said it has not yet decided where the 2030 World Cup final will be played, despite claims from Moroccan football officials that the showpiece match is heading to Morocco.
According to AFP, Morocco, Spain and Portugal will jointly host the tournament, with competition already growing over which country will stage the final.
The leading candidates are Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu and a planned 115,000-seat stadium in Benslimane, near Casablanca.
Moroccan football federation president Fouzi Lekjaa said on Wednesday that the final would be held in Morocco.
“Benslimane province will host the World Cup final. Whether some people like it or not,” Lekjaa said during a public meeting.
FIFA rejects final venue claim
FIFA, however, moved to clarify the situation on Friday and said no decision had been reached.
“As communicated on 5 August 2026, a decision will be made by FIFA in due course,” a FIFA spokesperson told AFP.
The clarification leaves both Morocco and Spain in contention for the tournament’s biggest match.
Madrid pushes Bernabeu case
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho also weighed into the debate and backed the Santiago Bernabeu as the best option.
The Portuguese coach said he would naturally prefer Lisbon but argued that the Bernabeu’s history gives it a strong claim.
“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.
He added that he would make the same argument if he were coaching Benfica.
Final decision still pending
Morocco has heavily promoted the planned Benslimane stadium as a potential final venue, while Spain continues to push the Bernabeu.
For now, FIFA has made clear that neither country has secured the match.
The governing body says the final venue will be announced at a later date.
