FIFA has clarified that no final decision has been made on the venue for the 2030 FIFA World Cup final.
Morocco, Spain and Portugal, which are co-hosting the tournament, have been lobbying to stage the showpiece fixture. The Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid and the proposed 115,000-capacity Grand Hassan II Stadium in Benslimane, near Casablanca, are among the leading contenders.
The clarification followed comments by Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), who claimed at a political rally in Rabat that Morocco had already secured the final for the planned Benslimane stadium.
“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. “The city is Benslimane, the Hassan II Stadium is the stadium, and I hope that Morocco will be playing in it.”
His remarks sparked reactions in Spain, where several football figures backed the Santiago Bernabéu. Former Real Madrid manager José Mourinho also described the iconic stadium as the logical venue for the tournament’s final.
“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.
However, FIFA has stressed that the selection process is still ongoing and that no venue has been officially confirmed.
“As communicated on 5 August 2026, a decision will be made by FIFA in due course,” a FIFA spokesperson said, dismissing reports that an agreement had already been reached ahead of the governing body’s formal ratification.
