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The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has said it has not decided on the venue for the 2030 World Cup final, rejecting claims that Morocco will host the match.
Moroccan Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa had announced on Wednesday that the final would be played in Benslimane, near Casablanca.
“Benslimane province will host the World Cup final. Whether some people like it or not,” Lekjaa said during a public meeting in the region, according to local media.
However, FIFA said the venue remains undecided.
“As communicated on 5 August 2026, a decision will be made by FIFA in due course,” a FIFA spokesperson told AFP on Friday.
Morocco, Spain and Portugal are co-hosting the 2030 World Cup and have already begun competing to host the final.
Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu and a planned 115,000-seat stadium in Benslimane are considered the leading contenders.
The dispute has also drawn comments from Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, who backed the Santiago Bernabeu as an ideal venue.
“I would like the final to be in Lisbon, but I’m already happy that a country like ours will have at least one match (at the World Cup),” the Portuguese coach told reporters on Friday.
Mourinho said the Bernabéu’s history and status made it a strong choice for the tournament’s showpiece match.
“If you can play in a legendary, historic stadium, where some of the greatest players in history have played, the stadium of the most important club in the history of football, then I think it should be here,” Mourinho said.
“If I were Benfica’s coach, I would tell you exactly the same thing,” he added.
