Spain confident of hosting 2030 World Cup final despite Morocco challenge

Spain’s sports minister Milagros Tolon says the country remains confident it will host the 2030 World Cup final, despite Morocco’s efforts to stage the match at the proposed Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca.

Spain will co-host the tournament with Portugal and Morocco, but the venue for the final has not yet been confirmed. Tolon said Spain “deserves” to host the showpiece fixture and insisted the country had always been committed to doing so.

Speaking on Cadena SER’s Hora 25 programme, Tolon said: “We deserve it, and we have always been committed to Spain hosting it.”

Asked why Spain should be selected for the final, the Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Sport pointed to the country’s football record and its role in securing the tournament.

“Firstly, we are world champions in men’s and women’s football,” she said. “Secondly, Spain, together with Portugal, promoted the bid to host the 2030 World Cup, and Morocco joined later. In addition, we have many advantages and strengths as a country.”

Tolon was also questioned about reports that FIFA had offered Spain the final in return for backing Gianni Infantino. She said the claims had caused surprise but had already been rejected by football’s world governing body.

“We were extremely surprised, and, more importantly, FIFA has already denied it,” she said. “We are working with FIFA, and our next meeting will be in September. They were very clear and decisive in denying this news. We will continue working because we want, and it should be, for the World Cup final to be held in Spain.”

The minister did not say that the Spanish government regretted sharing hosting duties with Morocco, instead stressing that the decision had been made by FIFA.

“I will not comment on that because these are decisions taken by FIFA,” she said. “There are many advantages to this, as we have seen in this World Cup. FIFA approved it, and that is how it will happen. We are working to make it the best World Cup in the history of our country.”

Spain’s case to host the final will include its experience of staging major sporting events, its transport infrastructure and its security, according to Tolon.

“We have a great deal of experience in sporting events, but in addition to that, Spain has a modern transport network and the security we enjoy in this country,” she said. “With all these advantages, I am convinced that FIFA will choose Spain to host the final.”

The final could be staged in either Madrid or Barcelona, although the decision will ultimately be made by FIFA. Tolon said the government’s priority was to secure the match for Spain rather than determine the host city.

“As a government, we want the final to be held in Spain,” she said. “FIFA will decide that, but we want it to be held in our country because we deserve it, and we have always been committed to hosting it in Spain.”

Tolon added that the government had a “perfectly defined” roadmap and that a coordination meeting with FIFA was scheduled for September.

She also said 15 ministries were involved, alongside 10 working groups and more than 100 people working to present “convincing arguments” to FIFA in support of Spain hosting the 2030 World Cup final.