World Cup 2030 final plans remain unresolved, with FIFA confirming that no decision has yet been made on where the tournament’s showpiece match will be played.
Morocco, Spain and Portugal will jointly host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, but the choice of venue for the final has become a separate contest between the co-hosts. Morocco is promoting the proposed 115,000-capacity Grand Hassan II Stadium in Benslimane, near Casablanca, while Spain is putting forward Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu, one of the most recognised stadiums in world football.
The uncertainty became more pronounced after Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, publicly claimed that the final had already been allocated to Benslimane. Speaking at a political rally in Rabat, Lekjaa said the city and the proposed Hassan II Stadium would host the decisive match and expressed his hope that Morocco would also reach the final and play there.
The comments quickly drew attention in Spain, where the Santiago Bernabeu has been promoted as a natural choice for the tournament’s biggest fixture. Former Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho also entered the discussion, arguing that the history and status of the Bernabeu made it an obvious candidate to stage the final.
The disagreement, however, has not changed FIFA’s official position. The governing body has made clear that the selection process is still underway and that no venue has been formally confirmed.
“As communicated on 5 August 2026, a decision will be made by FIFA in due course,” a FIFA spokesperson said, rejecting reports that an agreement had already been finalised before the necessary official ratifications.
The issue now leaves two very different stadium propositions competing for the same match. The Santiago Bernabeu offers decades of football history and is closely associated with Real Madrid, while the planned Grand Hassan II Stadium represents Morocco’s ambition to build one of the world’s largest football venues and give the country the centrepiece of the 2030 tournament.
For Morocco, hosting the final would carry significance beyond the match itself. The country has invested heavily in its football infrastructure and has increasingly positioned itself as a major destination for international sporting events. Securing the final would provide the strongest possible stage for that ambition.
Spain, meanwhile, has the advantage of an established stadium with a long history of hosting major matches. The renovated Bernabeu is also one of the most prominent football venues available among the three host countries, strengthening the argument for Madrid to stage the tournament’s closing game.
But neither claim amounts to an official decision. Until FIFA completes its process and formally confirms the venue, the World Cup 2030 final remains without a designated stadium.
That leaves both Morocco and Spain with reasons to continue making their case, while FIFA maintains that the final choice will be announced only when the governing body’s selection and ratification process is complete.
