Moroccan political figures slam Spanish opposition leader’s World Cup threats

Moroccan political figures have criticized Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of Spain’s conservative People’s Party, after he threatened to withdraw Spain from co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup if the country is not awarded the tournament’s final.

Their reactions come as Spain prepares for early elections on November 29, with several Moroccan political figures calling for the joint tournament, hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal, to be kept out of political disputes.

Unified Socialist Party: Feijóo’s remarks are electioneering

Jamal El Asri, secretary-general of the Unified Socialist Party and a member of the Left Alliance, described the Spanish right’s statements as political maneuvering linked to the election campaign.

He warned that making such remarks before FIFA has taken a decision could fuel political tensions, stressing that football should not be used as a tool in electoral campaigns.

El Asri also criticized statements made by Finance Minister and Royal Moroccan Football Federation President Fouzi Lekjaa during the PAM election campaign, when he said the Hassan II Stadium in Benslimane would host the 2030 World Cup final.

The party leader argued that such declarations were premature, given that FIFA has yet to decide which stadium will stage the final.

Moroccan Union for Democracy: Morocco is ready to host the tournament

Ilham Belfhili, secretary-general of the Moroccan Union for Democracy Party, said the choice of venue for the final was “a purely sporting matter” that should be determined according to FIFA’s rules and criteria, rather than used by Spanish politicians to score points ahead of the November 29 election.

She said Morocco had the capacity and infrastructure to host the tournament successfully, even if Spain and Portugal were to withdraw as co-hosts.

Belfhili stressed that football should bring people together, accusing the Spanish right of exploiting the final’s location as an electoral issue unrelated to Morocco.

PPS: Spain must honor its commitments

Education Minister and Progress and Socialism Party (PPS) Secretary-General Mohamed Nabil Benabdallah also described the Spanish right’s remarks as part of an election campaign in which Morocco was being used to score political points.

He dismissed the prospect of Spain withdrawing from the joint hosting arrangement, arguing that countries must honor their international commitments and agreements even when governments change or political circumstances shift, except in exceptional circumstances.

Popular Movement: All three hosts have the right to compete

The Popular Movement Party also criticized Feijóo’s remarks, saying they ran counter to the spirit of sporting cooperation and the values that major international competitions should promote.

In a statement, the party said all three host countries had the right to compete for the opportunity to stage the final, while emphasizing that the decision rests with FIFA and should be based on clear technical and organizational criteria.

It stressed that Morocco was not a secondary partner in the joint bid, but a fully sovereign country with the experience, infrastructure and resources to compete to host major sporting events.

The party called on political and sporting figures in Morocco, Spain and Portugal to keep the tournament out of electoral disputes and use the 2030 World Cup as an opportunity to strengthen ties across the Mediterranean and demonstrate Africa’s capacity to host major sporting events.

PJD: FIFA alone can decide where the final is held

Mustapha El Khalfi, a leader of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), also stressed that FIFA alone has the authority to decide which stadium will host the 2030 final.

He called on Feijóo to refrain from pressuring FIFA and respect the partnership between Morocco and Spain, describing the Spanish politician’s position as “marginal and isolated.”

El Khalfi said the remarks appeared aimed at exploiting the World Cup for electoral gain.

Spanish campaign to secure the final

Spanish political figures and media outlets have been campaigning for the country to host the final for months. The tournament will also feature centenary celebrations, with opening matches scheduled to take place in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Last July, an online campaign in Spain called for the country to withdraw as a co-host if FIFA chose Morocco’s planned 115,000-seat Grand Stade Hassan II over Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium for the final.

The hashtag #OLaFinalONada (Final or Nothing) also circulated amid concerns in Spain that Morocco could be awarded the match, following claims that U.S. President Donald Trump had pressured FIFA in Morocco’s favor.

That same month, the Spanish far-right Christian conservative group HazteOir launched a petition urging FIFA President Gianni Infantino to award the final to Spain rather than Morocco.

The group argued that Spain deserved to host the match because of its footballing history and sporting merit, as well as the principle of continental rotation, which it said had previously been defended by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

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