Madrid mayor Jose Luis Almeida has predicted that Morocco could host the 2030 World Cup final, saying he is not optimistic about Spain securing the showpiece match.
Almeida’s comments, reported by Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, come as Morocco and Spain remain the two countries seeking to host the final of the tournament, which will also be staged in Portugal.
“I am not optimistic,” Almeida said, indicating that Morocco is pursuing the final through political and institutional channels.
The Madrid mayor also questioned whether the Spanish government would make a strong enough effort to secure the match for Spain, saying he saw no reason to believe that it would fight to obtain the right to host the final.
However, Almeida said there should be consequences if Spain ultimately loses the opportunity to stage the tournament’s closing match.
He also argued that Madrid would be the natural location for the final, describing the prospect of the match being played in the Spanish capital as “normal”.
Morocco, Spain and Portugal will jointly host the 2030 World Cup, while the opening three matches will take place in South America.
Those matches will be played in Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina as part of celebrations marking 100 years since the first edition of the World Cup.
The battle to host the final has increasingly centred on Morocco and Spain, with Portugal not showing interest in staging the match.
Morocco is hoping to use the Hassan II stadium as the venue for the final. The stadium is currently under construction and is expected to have a capacity of 115,000 spectators.
The proposed venue would give Morocco a major opportunity to stage the biggest match of the tournament on home soil.
Spain, meanwhile, has several possible venues in contention. Spanish officials believe the Santiago Bernabeu should host the final, while Barcelona president Joan Laporta has argued that Camp Nou should be chosen.
The decision ultimately rests with FIFA, which is expected to determine whether Morocco or Spain will host the 2030 World Cup final.
The tournament will have a historic character for Morocco and Portugal, as both countries will host the World Cup for the first time.
Spain, by contrast, has previous experience of staging the tournament, having hosted the 1982 edition.
That competition was won by Italy, who defeated West Germany 3-1 in the final.
The final venue remains unresolved, with Morocco pushing for the match to be played at the Hassan II stadium and Spanish officials putting forward venues in Madrid and Barcelona.
