Madrid, Barcelona and Casablanca remain in contention for the showpiece match of the 2030 World Cup, but the wider shape of the tournament across Spain, Portugal and Morocco is still waiting on FIFA’s next inspection visit.
World football’s governing body has yet to set out a timetable for its return to the three-nation host project. Its previous visit took place in March, when the delegation spent almost two weeks examining the joint preparations. The next trip is expected to be pivotal, with the host cities intended to be settled during that process.
Spanish venue plan still unsettled
Spain intends to argue for an original allocation of 11 venues, despite Málaga and A Coruña subsequently withdrawing from the process. The Spanish Football Federation considers Valencia and Vigo suitable replacements and plans to put both forward to FIFA.
Those Spanish stadiums would sit alongside six proposed Moroccan venues and three in Portugal. The final distribution has not yet been confirmed.
The location of the final is another unresolved issue. Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu and Barcelona’s rebuilt Camp Nou are the leading Spanish options, while Morocco has put the future Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca into the discussion.
Election calendar could delay decision
Any further FIFA visit may now be pushed back because Spain has called a general election for Sunday, 29 November. A change of government could also bring a new leadership at the Consejo Superior de Deportes, currently headed by José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes.
The present administration has formed an interministerial commission for the preparation and organisation of the World Cup. It is chaired by Milagros Tolón, the Minister of Education, Vocational Training and Sport, and includes 15 ministries as well as the Spanish Football Federation and the Spanish Olympic Committee.
With the government that emerges from the election expected to lead Spain into the 2030 tournament, an inspection before the vote could require further discussions if the political administration changes. For now, the venue map and the destination of football’s biggest final remain open questions across the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco.
