The race to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup final could remain open for another two years, with FIFA reportedly expected to make its decision on the venue in 2028.
According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, sources familiar with the process indicate that FIFA does not plan to announce the final venue before 2028. The report points to the previous World Cup cycle, when FIFA confirmed New Jersey as the venue for the 2026 final in February 2024.
That timeline would leave the contest between Morocco and Spain open, despite increasingly confident statements from both sides.
Morocco’s Ambition for the Biggest Match
Morocco has made no secret of its ambition to host the tournament’s closing match at the Hassan II Stadium in Benslimane, near Casablanca.
The stadium is expected to accommodate around 115,000 spectators, potentially making it the largest football-specific stadium in the world once completed.
The project has become the centerpiece of Morocco’s case for hosting the final and is one of the country’s most ambitious sporting infrastructure projects ahead of 2030.
Lekjaa Continues to Push the Bid
Royal Moroccan Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa has repeatedly expressed Morocco’s desire to bring the final to Benslimane.
In September, he said the Hassan II Stadium would have “the honor” of hosting the 2030 final, while also calling for Moroccan institutions and supporters to support the country’s ambition.
FIFA, however, has maintained that no final venue has yet been selected, previously indicating that the decision would be announced “in due course.”
Spain Has Its Own Strong Candidates
Spain is also continuing to make its case.
Rafael Louzán, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, has expressed confidence that Spain will host the final, pointing to Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu and Barcelona’s Camp Nou as potential venues.
According to Mundo Deportivo, those two stadiums and Morocco’s Hassan II Stadium currently represent the main contenders for the tournament’s showpiece match.
The Spanish outlet also reported that FIFA has not yet scheduled its next inspection visit to Morocco, Spain and Portugal.
That visit is expected to be an important part of the process as FIFA assesses the proposed host cities and stadiums across the three countries.
A Three-Country World Cup
Morocco, Spain and Portugal are set to host 101 matches during the 2030 World Cup.
As part of the tournament’s centenary celebrations, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will each stage one match, marking 100 years since the first World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930.
FIFA formally appointed Morocco, Spain and Portugal as the main hosts in December 2024.
More Time for Morocco to Prepare
If the reported 2028 timeline is accurate, Morocco would have additional time to complete the Hassan II Stadium and strengthen its case for the final.
The scale of the project, its planned capacity and Morocco’s broader preparations for 2030 have placed Benslimane at the center of the country’s World Cup ambitions.
For now, however, no final venue has been confirmed.
With FIFA’s inspection process still ongoing and the reported decision potentially still two years away, the destination of the 2030 World Cup final remains unresolved.