FIFA denies decision on 2030 World Cup final amid Morocco claims

Morocco jumped the gun. On September 10, Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, declared that the 2030 World Cup final would take place at the King Hassan II Stadium, a colossal new venue under construction near Casablanca in the city of Benslimane. One day later, FIFA issued a flat denial. The global football governing body stated that no decisions regarding the final’s venue have been finalized, adding that such matters would be determined “in due course.” A stadium built for a statement The King Hassan II Stadium isn’t just another arena. With a planned seating capacity of 115,000, it’s designed to become the world’s largest football-specific venue. The project carries a price tag near $1B. As of May 2026, the stadium was reportedly around 30% complete, with an anticipated finish date sometime between 2027 and 2028. Morocco, Portugal, and Spain are co-hosting the 2030 tournament, with three opening matches also scheduled in South America as a centennial nod to the first World Cup held in Uruguay in 1930. Among those three primary hosts, the question of who gets the final is the single most valuable piece of real estate in the entire event. Spain isn’t...