Morocco Urges FIFA to Ensure Transparency in Vote for 2026 World Cup Host

Morocco called on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to ensure a “transparent” and “equitable” vote for the host country of the 2026 World Cup.

The call was made by head of Morocco’s bid campaign Moulay Hafid El Alamy after media reports showed that Infantino may favor the joint North American bid.

It is difficult in a race when the referee or judge is not impartial,” El Alamy told reporters in Casablanca.

“I hope the values of equity and righteousness should be the values of FIFA, which I cannot doubt,” Elalamy said. “It’s very serious that the opinion of a president could change strategic opinions.

“FIFA needed to reform itself and I am convinced this has been the case,” he said.

“I think [FIFA] went through changes to achieve transparency and I am still convinced that these responsibilities will not allow [Infantino] to have a partial position,” he added.

The public vote will take place on June 13 with each FIFA member country in good standing will have a vote on the host.

Media reports have raised the issue of the $302 million that the FIFA would gain if the joint North American bid wins. The financial benefit casts doubt on the neutrality of FIFA officials vis-a-vis the race for the 2026 tournament host country.

Morocco is making its fifth bid to the World Cup and appears more ready than ever to host the tournament.

“We are not acting here,” El Alamy said. “We are here to win. We have the potential to win and if we should lose, we should accept it in the spirit of sport and none of us can have any regrets as long as the judges, referees and players did their job well because we know we cannot win all the time.

Morocco has announced that it will earmark $15.8 billion on stadiums and infrastructure if it wins the bid