Spain's primary opposition leader has threatened to pull the country out of co-hosting the 2030 World Cup if the final is staged in Morocco. Alberto Núñez Feijoo's declaration sets a direct condition for Spain's continued involvement in the tournament, which it is set to co-host with Portugal and Morocco.

"If Morocco ends up hosting the final, Spain should leave the organisation (of the tournament)," Feijoo said. The proposal from the leader of the People's Party injects a significant political dispute into the planning for the global event, which was officially awarded to the three nations in December 2024. Feijoo argued that Spain should not be a "secondary actor" in the tournament it is helping to organise, stating the final is the most important match and should be held on Spanish soil.

Morocco's stadium proposal

Morocco is seeking to host the final at the Grand Stade Hassan II near Casablanca, a planned venue with a capacity of approximately 115,000 spectators. The scale of the proposed stadium is a central part of its bid to land the showpiece match. The Moroccan bid argues that the new stadium's capacity would surpass that of any existing venue in Spain or Portugal.

FIFA's decision and Spain's stance

FIFA has not confirmed which co-host will stage the final, stating the decision belongs to them. Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) President Rafael Louzan has expressed a preference for Spain to host the final, citing the country's football infrastructure and experience. However, Louzan has also firmly ruled out any Spanish withdrawal from the competition.

He stressed that Spain has already signed binding agreements with FIFA, the other organising countries, and the Spanish government. Louzan maintained that those commitments must be respected regardless of where the final is played. Spain has put forward Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu and Barcelona's Camp Nou as its leading candidate venues. The RFEF president also noted that the decision on the final's location is not imminent and will be made by FIFA in due course.

The tournament will begin with three centenary celebration matches in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay before the main event moves to the three European and African hosts. For Bristol City, the focus returns to domestic action with a home Championship fixture against Norwich City on Saturday, 7 November.

Background and full detail: The Independent