Spain's opposition leader demands withdrawal from 2030 World Cup if Morocco hosts the final

Spain’s main opposition leader has demanded his country walk away from the 2030 World Cup if FIFA hands the tournament final to Morocco, escalating a simmering dispute over which co-host will stage the showpiece fixture.

Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the People’s Party, made the declaration in an interview with El Chiringuito TV. “If Morocco ends up hosting the final, Spain should leave the organisation of the tournament,” he said, later reinforcing the message on X: “Restoring our country’s pride also means not letting anyone walk all over us. The World Cup final belongs to Spain.”

The centenary edition of the tournament is scheduled to be jointly hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal, with three opening matches set to take place in South America as a symbolic nod to Uruguay’s staging of the inaugural competition in 1930. FIFA has not yet confirmed which nation will host the final, saying only that a decision will be made “in due course”.

Despite that uncertainty, Morocco has been actively lobbying for its proposed 115,000-capacity Grande Stade Hassan II in Casablanca to be awarded the fixture — a venue that would surpass any existing stadium in terms of capacity. Spain’s renovated Bernabéu and the rebuilt Camp Nou are widely regarded as the rival candidates.

Morocco’s political standing within FIFA appears to be growing. The country is currently hosting the Under-17 Boys’ World Cup, convened an emergency meeting of the FIFA management board in August when president Gianni Infantino faced political pressure, and is set to host next year’s FIFA Congress — where Infantino is expected to seek a fourth term as president.

Feijóo’s comments carry political weight domestically but do not represent the position of the Spanish government, which remains a formal co-host partner. Whether his intervention adds pressure to FIFA’s deliberations or remains a piece of opposition rhetoric remains to be seen.