World Cup 2030: Fouzi Lekjaa says the final will be held in Morocco

The FRMF president says Benslimane will host the final, although FIFA has yet to make any official announcement

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World Cup 2030: Fouzi Lekjaa says the final will be held in Morocco

Fouzi Lekjaa caused a stir by publicly stating that the province of Benslimane will have the honour of hosting the 2030 World Cup final.

Has Fouzi Lekjaa revealed the decision before FIFA? Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) in Bouznika, the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation made a striking statement about the 2030 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal.

“What you should know is that the province of Benslimane will have the honour of hosting the 2030 World Cup final,” Lekjaa told the audience. It is a significant claim because FIFA has not yet officially awarded the final to any city or stadium, while Spain also hopes to stage the tournament’s decisive match.

Grand Stade Hassan II at the heart of Morocco’s plans

Morocco’s hopes are centred on the future Grand Stade Hassan II, currently under construction in Benslimane near Casablanca. The venue is expected to have a capacity of around 115,000 and is the Kingdom’s flagship stadium project for 2030. Morocco has been stepping up preparations for the tournament, with a clear ambition to host its biggest fixtures.

Lekjaa even imagined a dream scenario for the Atlas Lions. “And, God willing, there will be a final between Morocco and France so that we can get our revenge,” he added. The remark is an obvious reference to Morocco’s last two World Cup campaigns, both of which were ended by France.

2022 and 2026: two historic runs ended by France

At Qatar 2022, Morocco produced the greatest World Cup run ever achieved by an African nation. After eliminating Spain on penalties in the last 16 and beating Portugal 1-0 in the quarter-finals, Walid Regragui’s side reached the semi-finals. Their run ended with a 2-0 defeat to France before they lost 2-1 to Croatia in the third-place play-off, finishing fourth.

Four years later, Morocco confirmed their status among the world’s elite. They went unbeaten in the 2026 group stage, eliminated the Netherlands on penalties in the round of 32 and then beat Canada 3-0 in the last 16. France again ended the Atlas Lions’ run, this time with a 2-0 quarter-final victory.

Morocco therefore became the first African national team to reach at least the quarter-finals at two consecutive World Cups. On home soil in 2030, Lekjaa is now dreaming of going one step further: reaching the final and, ideally, getting another shot at France.