Morocco has practically lost its chance to host the 2030 World Cup final following the recent events at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
There has been fierce competition between Morocco and Spain in recent months for the honor of hosting the 2030 World Cup final, which will be co-hosted by Spain, Morocco, and Portugal.
Spain believes the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is the most deserving venue for the World Cup final due to its rich history and the renovations it has undergone in the last five years. Morocco, on the other hand, had its sights set on the Casablanca stadium, which is still under construction.
According to the newspaper AS, the chaos of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final and the images that circulated globally of attempts to storm the stands and the refereeing controversies have created a negative image regarding the ability of Moroccan stadiums to manage a football event of this magnitude.
Perhaps what exacerbated Morocco’s negative image was the unacceptable behavior of Moroccan ball boys and players, such as pulling the towel off the Senegalese goalkeeper, and before that, the Nigerian goalkeeper, due to their belief that it possessed a magical quality.
There is also considerable criticism of Morocco for the poor reception given to the Senegalese delegation at Rabat train station, as well as the limited number of tickets allocated to Senegalese fans and the lack of a separate training pitch away from the Moroccan national team’s facilities.
Given all these blemishes on Morocco’s record in organizing the Africa Cup of Nations, it is currently the most likely scenario that FIFA will favor the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium for the final, considering that Real Madrid’s historic stadium has an exceptionally clean record in finals and major events.
Relations between Morocco and Spain remain good for now, and both sides have decided to leave the final venue decision to FIFA. Meanwhile, Gianni Infantino and his administration are closely monitoring the situation before announcing where the coveted golden trophy will be lifted.
