Feijoo ally accuses Morocco of ‘stealing’ 2030 World Cup final

The dispute over the venue for the 2030 World Cup final has intensified after a senior ally of Spanish opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo accused Morocco of trying to “steal” the match from Spain.

Isabel Diaz Ayuso, president of the Community of Madrid and one of Feijoo’s leading supporters within the Partido Popular (PP), said it was “reasonable” for Spain to threaten to withdraw from hosting the tournament if the final were awarded to Morocco.

Her comments followed a statement by Feijoo on the El Chiringuito programme on Mediaset. Feijoo, president of the PP and a candidate in Spain’s anticipated general election, said he would remove Spain from the organisation of the next World Cup if the country became the new government and Morocco was chosen to stage the final.

Ayuso said Feijoo “could not have put it better”, adding that, in her view, Morocco wanted to “steal the World Cup from under their noses”.

The comments have caused surprise in Morocco, with the argument over the final’s location becoming increasingly public while the decision remains with FIFA.

The Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid is competing with the Grand Stade Hassan II, which is under construction in Benslimane. The Moroccan venue is intended to become the largest stadium in the world, with a planned capacity of about 115,000.

That would put it ahead of the stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea, which currently holds the record with an estimated capacity of 114,000.

The latest intervention from Spain has prompted a strong reaction on the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar. In a column, Le360 Sport questioned: “Since when has the 2030 World Cup belonged to Spain?”

The proposed final venue is therefore at the centre of a growing disagreement between the two countries, with both Madrid and Benslimane viewed as possible destinations. No final decision has yet been made by FIFA, but the public dispute has gathered pace following the statements from Feijoo and Ayuso.

The 2030 World Cup is the subject of a shared hosting arrangement, but the contest for the final has taken on particular political importance in Spain. Feijoo’s warning that Spain could leave the organisation if Morocco won the right to stage the match has now been reinforced by Ayuso’s public support for his position.

Moroccan media have challenged the assumption that Spain should host the final, while Spanish political figures continue to argue for the Santiago Bernabeu. The issue remains unresolved as the competing bids await FIFA’s decision.