Spain remains confident it will host the 2030 World Cup final, despite Morocco’s ambition to stage the match at the new Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca.
Spain’s Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Sport, Milagros Tolon, said the country “deserves” to host the showpiece fixture, which will be jointly staged by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
Speaking on Cadena SER’s Hora 25 programme, Tolon said: “We deserve it, and we have always been committed to Spain hosting it.”
Spain and Portugal initially promoted the bid to host the 2030 tournament, before Morocco joined the proposal. The event was later awarded to the three countries, with one opening match also being held in each of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay to mark the centenary of the first World Cup.
Explaining why she believes Spain should be selected for the final, Tolon said: “Firstly, we are men’s and women’s World Cup champions. Secondly, Spain, together with Portugal, promoted the bid to host the 2030 World Cup, and Morocco joined later. In addition, we have many advantages and strengths as a country.”
Her comments came after reports that FIFA had offered Spain the final in return for support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Tolon said the Spanish government had been surprised by those claims, but stressed that world football’s governing body had already rejected them.
“We were extremely surprised, and more importantly, FIFA has already denied it,” she said. “We are working with FIFA, and our next meeting will be in September. They have been very clear and decisive in denying this news. We will continue working because we want, and it should be, for the World Cup final to be held in Spain.”
Asked whether the Spanish government regretted hosting the tournament alongside Morocco, Tolon declined to criticise the arrangement.
“I will not comment on that because these are decisions taken by FIFA,” she said. “This has many advantages, as we have seen in this World Cup. FIFA approved it, and that is how it will happen. We are working to make it the best World Cup in the history of our country.”
Tolon also highlighted Spain’s ability to stage major sporting events, its transport infrastructure and its security record as reasons why the final should be played there.
“We have a great deal of experience in sporting events, but in addition to that, Spain has a modern transport network and the security that we enjoy in this country,” she said. “With all these advantages, I am convinced that FIFA will choose Spain to host the final.”
The final would be played in either Madrid or Barcelona if Spain’s bid is successful, although Tolon said the decision rested with FIFA.
“As a government, we want the final to be held in Spain,” she said. “FIFA will decide that, but we want it to be held in our country because we deserve it, and we have always been committed to hosting it in Spain.”
Tolon added that the government had a “perfectly defined” roadmap and that a “coordination meeting” with FIFA was scheduled for September.
She also said 15 government ministries were involved, supported by 10 working groups and more than 100 people who were working to present “convincing arguments” to FIFA in favour of staging the 2030 World Cup final in Spain.
