Lekjaa Says Morocco's Hassan II Stadium Will Host 2030 World Cup Final

Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, has announced that the final of the 2030 World Cup will be played at Hassan II Stadium in Benslimane, a town roughly 60 kilometers from Casablanca. The declaration, made during a political rally in Bouznika, reignites the debate over which country will host the tournament's most important match, in a competition co-hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal.

According to an Associated Press translation, Lekjaa said: "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." The remark was seen in Madrid as jumping ahead of a decision FIFA has not yet made.

Spain Pushes Back

Rafael Louzán, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, quickly responded, insisting Spain deserves to host the final, pointing to Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu stadium as the natural choice for football's biggest match. He said: "We all signed to accept the candidacy... it's too bad that, regarding the final, it wasn't made clear, totally clear, where it is to be played."

A Billion-Dollar Stadium

Hassan II Stadium in Benslimane, still under construction, is designed to hold 115,000 spectators at a cost of around $1 billion, which would make it one of the largest stadiums in the world once completed. The project is a centerpiece of Morocco's plan for the 2030 World Cup, an expanded 48-team tournament to be held across Morocco, Spain and Portugal, with special opening matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay marking the tournament's centennial.

FIFA Has Not Decided

For its part, FIFA played down Lekjaa's claim, stating that no final decision on the tournament's match assignments, including the final, has been made, and that the governing body retains sole authority over the matter.

The dispute underscores the intensity of the rivalry between Morocco and Spain over the co-hosted tournament's marquee match, as Morocco accelerates sports infrastructure projects ahead of hosting its first World Cup, alongside other major stadium projects in Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier, and high-speed rail lines linking the host cities.