Morocco Insists on Hosting 2030 World Cup Final: Africa Deserves to Host

In an interview with "Jeune Afrique," Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, reiterated Morocco's ambition to host the 2030 World Cup final. This statement comes just weeks after he compelled FIFA to refute reports that the venue for the final match had already been chosen. As is widely known, the upcoming World Cup will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and the North African nation.

Lekjaa, who also serves as a minister, is currently in the midst of his campaign ahead of Morocco's parliamentary elections on September 23rd. The 56-year-old official seized the opportunity to elaborate on his remarks from last Thursday, when he stated that "the province of Benslimane will have the honor of hosting the 2030 World Cup final" and that "anyone aspiring to be part of the next government has no choice but to develop this province."

"We have never spoken about a final; we follow processes, adhere to procedures and regulations," he explained, before continuing: "Morocco, as we have explained from the outset, represents Africa. We are a continent alongside our European counterparts, represented by Spain and Portugal. We are not three nations operating in a competitive dynamic. We work in a complementary fashion, encompassing civilization, culture, and so on. But we will always defend the rights of Africa and the Kingdom of Morocco, which, in my opinion, have the right to host a World Cup final for the second time in history within a century."

A staunch supporter of Gianni Infantino's re-election as FIFA president in March 2027, despite the controversial and ultimately failed commercialization project for the World Cup, Fouzi Lekjaa intends to continue his lobbying efforts. Against this backdrop, the organization of the next FIFA Congress in Rabat this coming March also plays a significant role.

Some observers believe that Infantino might leverage this moment, should he be re-elected, to announce a second final on African soil, following the one played in South Africa in 2010.