Morocco raised the stakes in the race to host the 2030 World Cup final, after Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, confirmed that the Grand Stade Hassan II in Benslimane will host the tournament's final, even though FIFA has not yet announced the stadium that will stage the match.
Speaking at an event held by the Authenticity and Modernity Party in the city of Bouznika, Lekjaa oozed confidence about Morocco settling the battle over the most important match in the tournament.
The president of the Moroccan federation said, as highlighted by the Spanish newspaper "Sport": "What you should know is that the province of Benslimane will have the honour of hosting the 2030 World Cup final."
He didn't stop there. Lekjaa went as far as to imagine the two sides of the final, expressing his wish for Morocco to face France, adding: "And God willing, may there be a final bringing together Morocco and France so that we can take our revenge," amid the enthusiasm and applause of those present.
Those remarks carry particular weight, given that FIFA has not yet officially announced the stadium that will stage the 2030 World Cup final, which Spain, Portugal and Morocco are organising alongside celebratory matches marking 100 years since the launch of the World Cup in South America.
Hassan II stadium competes with the Santiago Bernabéu and the Camp Nou
Lekjaa's words place the Grand Stade Hassan II at the heart of the competition with Spain, which in turn boasts prominent options of its own to host the final, chief among them the Santiago Bernabéu and the Spotify Camp Nou.
The Moroccan bid relies heavily on the Hassan II stadium project, which is being built in the province of Benslimane, between Casablanca and Rabat, with a capacity approaching 115,000 spectators.
Such a capacity would make the new stadium one of the largest football stadiums in the world. Its distinctive design draws inspiration from the traditional tents used during Moroccan festivities.
Builders are expected to complete the stadium in 2027, three years before the start of the World Cup, giving Morocco enough time to test the facility and prepare it to host the global event.
Morocco does not view the project merely as a sporting stadium. The Hassan II stadium represents one of the most prominent symbols of the country's urban and sporting transformation, and one of the most important elements of the Moroccan bid shared with Spain and Portugal.
FIFA has not yet settled the stadium
Despite the great confidence with which Lekjaa spoke, the official situation has not changed. FIFA has not yet announced the stadium that will stage the 2030 World Cup final.
His remarks, then, do not represent an official announcement of the final being awarded to Morocco. Instead they reflect the extent of the kingdom's confidence in its ability to win the race, as well as being a clear message of pressure against the Spanish bid.
Competition to host the final has escalated over the past months, with Morocco insisting on its right to host the most important match in the tournament, against a Spanish desire to hold the final on its own soil and crown the 2030 world champion at one of its major stadiums.
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