In a recent interview, Rafael Louzan, the president of the Spanish Football Federation, emphasized the importance of determining the venue for the 2030 World Cup final, suggesting that such a decision should have been resolved when the joint bid was approved. Despite the announcement from Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, that the final would take place in the Benslimane region near Casablanca, Louzan assured that Spain remains steadfast in its efforts to host the prestigious match. He dismissed any notions of Spain withdrawing from the tournament, even if FIFA were to assign the final to Morocco.
Louzan's remarks, reported by the sports publication Mundo Deportivo, highlighted that the decision regarding the final should have been finalized during the initial stages of discussions about the tournament organization between Spain, Morocco, and Portugal. He reiterated Spain's commitment to make the final one of its primary organizational goals for the event, alongside maintaining 11 host cities and providing a central media center as well as FIFA's operations center.
Spain's Resolve Amidst Uncertainty
Louzan stated that Spain would persist in its pursuit of hosting the World Cup final, while clarifying that the ultimate decision rests with FIFA. He pointed out that existing agreements regarding the tournament's organization make the idea of Spain withdrawing from hosting highly unlikely. This sentiment was echoed in various Spanish media outlets following his interview with Cadena Cope.
The tournament, which will be co-hosted by Spain, Morocco, and Portugal, marks a significant milestone as it coincides with the centennial celebration of the inaugural World Cup, which took place in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay. Spain has been vocal since June about its desire to host the final, emphasizing its organizational capabilities to support such a significant event.
Morocco's Claim and FIFA's Stance
Controversy arose following Lekjaa's comments during a meeting in Bouznika, where he announced that Benslimane would have the honor of hosting the 2030 World Cup final. Morocco is currently constructing the Hassan II Stadium in Benslimane, which is expected to accommodate around 115,000 spectators. However, FIFA responded to Lekjaa's claims by stating that no decision regarding the final venue has been made yet and that such announcements would be forthcoming at the appropriate time.
Moreover, FIFA had previously denied rumors in August suggesting that the final had been definitively awarded to Morocco, asserting that reports of a prior agreement on this matter were incorrect. The Spanish bid includes prominent stadiums such as Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid and Camp Nou in Barcelona as potential venues for the final, while Morocco has nominated the Hassan II Stadium. With the future of the final still uncertain, the debate continues, highlighting the competitive nature of this historic tournament.
As reported by aljazeera.net.
