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FIFA rebukes Morocco’s claim it will host 2030 World Cup final

Morocco to co-host 2030 ​tournament with Spain and Portugal, but FIFA denies final will be in North Africa.

Al Jazeera

FIFA has responded to a ‌‌claim by the president of the Royal ⁠⁠Moroccan Football Federation ⁠⁠that his nation will be hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup final, saying the decision has ⁠⁠not yet been made.

Morocco is due to co-host the 2030 tournament with Spain and Portugal. That will be just the ⁠⁠second time an African nation will stage World Cup final games, after the 2010 tournament in South Africa.

Fouzi Lekjaa, the head of Morocco’s football federation, reportedly told a political rally on Thursday that the right to host the final had already been won.

“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, according to a translation by The Associated ⁠⁠Press. “The city is Benslimane, the Hassan II stadium is the stadium, and I ⁠⁠hope that Morocco will be ⁠⁠playing (in) it.”