Spain Says It 'Deserves' to Host the 2030 World Cup Final

MADRID — The Spanish government said it remains confident the final of the 2030 World Cup will be played in Spain, after a report that FIFA had awarded the match to co-host Morocco.

Sports minister Milagros Tolón said Spain "deserved" to host the title game.

"We are the reigning men's and women's World Cup champions, and Spain and Portugal spearheaded the bid for the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco later joined," Tolón told Cadena Ser late Wednesday. "We have many advantages and strengths as a country."

Spain, Portugal and Morocco are the main co-hosts of the 2030 tournament. Morocco hopes to stage the final at the planned King Hassan II Stadium near Casablanca, which is designed to seat 115,000. Spain has at least two contenders of its own: Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and Barcelona's Camp Nou.

FIFA on Tuesday denied a British media report suggesting that President Gianni Infantino, while seeking support for his presidency, had offered Morocco the hosting of the 2030 final.

A FIFA spokesperson said it is "false and misleading to claim the FIFA president has made any promise in relation to hosting the FIFA World Cup 2030 final. A decision will be made by FIFA in due course."

Tolón said the Spanish government was "surprised" by the report that FIFA had given the final to Morocco.

"The most important thing is that FIFA has already denied it," she said. "We are working with FIFA, and we have our next meeting in September. They have been very clear and emphatic in denying this news. We will continue working because we want, and it has to be, that the World Cup final is in Spain."