‘Stop making promises!’ Morocco PM slaps down Lekjaa over 2030 World Cup final claims

The venue for the 2030 World Cup final is still up for grabs, and Morocco’s own government has just reminded its football chief of that fact. Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch has publicly rebuked Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), telling him to stop guaranteeing that the centenary tournament’s showpiece will be staged on Moroccan soil. It is a rare public slap-down that reopens the three-way battle between Morocco, Spain and Portugal, the tournament’s co-hosts. For England fans already plotting a trip in 2030, the difference between Casablanca, Madrid and Lisbon is far from trivial.

What Morocco’s Prime Minister told Lekjaa

Aziz Akhannouch has issued a clear warning to Fouzi Lekjaa: stop making public promises about where the 2030 World Cup final will be played. According to AFP, the Moroccan head of government views such statements as premature, since the decision rests with FIFA rather than the host federations.

Lekjaa, who is also a minister delegate for the budget and a member of the FIFA Council, had repeatedly suggested that the Grand Stade Hassan II, under construction near Casablanca, would host the final. That public stance has evidently irritated a government keen not to antagonise its Spanish and Portuguese partners before the official call is made.

Morocco, Spain and Portugal: the fight for the 2030 final

Three countries share hosting duties for the 2030 World Cup and all three want the final. Spain is pushing for Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu or the rebuilt Camp Nou in Barcelona, while Morocco is banking on the Grand Stade Hassan II, billed as the world’s largest stadium with a planned capacity of around 115,000.

Portugal, with Lisbon’s Estádio da Luz, is seen as the outsider. FIFA has not officially announced when it will decide. The tournament marks 100 years of the competition, first held in Uruguay in 1930, with three opening matches planned in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.

Why it matters for England and Premier League fans

For England, the location of the 2030 final carries real consequences: climate, travel logistics and kick-off times for supporters back home. A final in Casablanca in high summer is a very different proposition from one in Madrid. Having reached the Euro 2024 final, the Three Lions will see 2030 as a prime chance to end the wait for a second World Cup.

The Premier League angle is obvious too. Morocco, semi-finalists in 2022, boast a growing number of top-flight players in England, and as co-hosts they will be one of the most dangerous sides in the tournament. Where the final is played is not just a political squabble, it is a genuine sporting factor.

What happens next: FIFA has the final say

The decision on the 2030 World Cup final venue will be taken by FIFA in consultation with the three host federations. No official date for that announcement has been given, and Morocco, through its Prime Minister, appears to be dialling down the rhetoric so as not to damage its bid.

The Grand Stade Hassan II must be completed before 2030, and delivering it on time will be a decisive argument. In the meantime, Lekjaa is expected to tread more carefully. One thing is certain: the battle for the 2030 final has only just begun.

FAQ