Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), has delivered a direct response to Spanish claims over the 2030 World Cup final, asserting that the decisive match will take place at the Grand Stade Hassan II in Benslimane, near Casablanca.
“The province of Benslimane will have the honor of hosting the final of the 2030 World Cup,” Lekjaa said at a political meeting of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) in Bouznika.
He linked the event to broader regional development, adding that anyone aspiring to join the next government would have no choice but to prioritize the development of the province.
The remarks come amid intensifying competition between Morocco and Spain, co-hosts of the tournament alongside Portugal, over who will stage football’s biggest match.
Spanish officials, including RFEF president Rafael Louzán and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, have repeatedly argued that Spain should host the final, often citing the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid as the preferred venue.
FIFA has yet to make an official decision on either the opening match or the final.
Morocco is banking on the Grand Stade Hassan II, a new 115,000-capacity stadium under construction near Casablanca that is expected to rank among the largest football venues in the world.
Designed from the ground up to meet FIFA requirements, the project forms a central pillar of Morocco’s preparations and is projected for completion in late 2027.
Lekjaa’s intervention marks a clear Moroccan pushback after weeks of Spanish public statements.
