Why the 2030 World Cup final might be played in Africa

Here is why there are thoughts that the final of the 2030 World Cup might be played in Africa as discussions continue.

The 2030 FIFA World Cup final could be staged on African soil, with Morocco pushing for its new King Hassan II Stadium to host the tournament’s showpiece match.

Morocco will co-host the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, while Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay are set to stage centenary celebration matches in South America.

However, one of the biggest questions surrounding the tournament remains where the final will be played, with Morocco and Spain emerging as leading contenders.

Royal Moroccan Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa has now boldly claimed that the final will be held at the King Hassan II Stadium in Benslimane, near Casablanca.

Speaking at a political event in Bouznika, Lekjaa reportedly declared that Morocco had already secured the right to stage the final.

“The city of Benslimane will host the World Cup final. Hate it or love it and if anyone wants to talk on top of that, let them talk,” Lekjaa said, according to a translation by The Associated Press.

“The city is Benslimane, the Hassan II stadium is the stadium, and I hope that Morocco will be playing [in] it.”

The stadium, which is currently under construction, is expected to have a capacity of around 115,000 spectators. Its enormous size and ambitious design have made it a centrepiece of Morocco’s preparations for the tournament.

Hosting the final there would also represent a historic moment for African football.

South Africa became the first African country to host a World Cup in 2010, with Johannesburg's Soccer City staging the final between Spain and the Netherlands. A final in Morocco would therefore bring football's biggest match back to Africa 20 years later.

However, Lekjaa's declaration is not yet official.

FIFA officially responds

FIFA has responded to his comments by stressing that no decision has been made on the venue for the 2030 final, with football's world governing body saying the host stadium will be determined “in due course.”

Morocco also faces significant competition from Spain. Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu, home of Real Madrid, has been widely discussed as a potential venue, while Spanish football officials have made no secret of their desire to stage the final.

FIFA has also previously denied reports that its president, Gianni Infantino, had promised Morocco the final in exchange for political support ahead of his next re-election campaign.

For now, therefore, Morocco has not officially secured the 2030 World Cup final.

But with a new 115,000-capacity stadium under construction and the country's football leadership publicly declaring its intention to stage the match, there is a genuine possibility that the biggest game of the 2030 World Cup could be played in Africa.