Spain to Host 2030 World Cup Final, Says Football Federation President

Rafael Louzan, the president of the Spanish Football Federation, has declared that Spain will host the final match of the 2030 Men’s World Cup. This event will see Spain, Portugal, and Morocco serving as co-hosts, with the opening three matches scheduled to take place in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay to celebrate the tournament’s 100th anniversary.

While Morocco has shown interest in hosting the final, Louzan emphasized that Spain has demonstrated its organizational capabilities over the years. He stated, “Spain has proven its organisational capacity over many years. It will be the leader of the 2030 World Cup, and the final of that World Cup will be held here.”

The potential venues for the final include the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid and Barcelona’s Nou Camp; however, Louzan did not provide additional specifics. The BBC has reached out to FIFA, the global governing body, and the football federations of Portugal and Morocco for their comments.

Morocco aspires to host the final at the Grand Stade Hassan II in Casablanca, which is expected to be completed by 2028 and accommodate 115,000 spectators. Last year, Faouzi Lekjaa, president of Morocco’s Royal Football Federation, expressed the desire for the stadium to host a final against Spain.

At an event organized by the Madrid Sports Press Association, Louzan referenced the chaotic scenes witnessed during the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) earlier this month. Morocco highlighted the tournament as a preparatory event for 2030; however, it concluded amid disorder in Rabat.

Senegal’s coach, Pape Thiaw, was aggrieved by a disallowed goal during injury time and subsequently led his team off the field after Morocco was awarded a penalty following a VAR review. Tensions escalated in the stands, with Senegalese supporters attempting to encroach onto the pitch. After a delay of approximately 17 minutes, Brahim Diaz’s penalty kick was saved, and Senegal emerged victorious with a 1-0 win in extra time.

A victory for Morocco would have marked the nation’s first AFCON title since 1976. Louzan acknowledged Morocco’s significant transformation and improvement in stadium infrastructure but noted that the scenes from AFCON tarnished the image of global football.

FIFA previously stated that it was too early to finalize the venue for the 2030 final, pointing out that the location for the 2026 World Cup final was not disclosed until two years prior to the event.

Spain has proposed 11 stadiums for the 2030 World Cup, while Morocco plans to utilize six and Portugal three. The opening matches will occur in South America, commemorating the inaugural tournament held there in 1930.