Agadir is preparing to host a decisive meeting of the tripartite committee ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which will be shared between Morocco, Spain and Portugal. The city will be the scene of the announcement of the twenty stadiums chosen to host the tournament matches. This expected decision comes after a series of media speculations denied by the competent authorities.
Rumours had recently circulated in the media, including through an article in the Spanish newspaper Marca, suggesting that some decisions regarding the stadiums had already been made. According to this information, the final is expected to be held at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid, and discussions are reportedly underway to use this stadium also for the Club World Cup in 2025. These allegations have sparked strong reactions, prompting Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), who quickly denied these comments.
Lekjaa firmly stated that no decision had been made regarding the stadiums, recalling that Morocco, alongside Spain and Portugal, is still working on a joint proposal that must be submitted to FIFA by July 31. In the event of disagreement, FIFA will decide, and the final decision is expected in December.
According to current information, the project foresees that of the twenty stadiums designated to host the matches of the 2030 World Cup, eleven are in Spain, six in Morocco, and three in Portugal. The newspaper Marca reported that the Spanish Football Federation has already proposed a list of eleven stadiums to FIFA, including emblematic infrastructures such as the Santiago Bernabéu, the Camp Nou and the Metropolitano. Two stadiums have been removed from the list initially submitted, those of Murcia and Gijón, because they do not comply with FIFA standards. The stadiums of Valencia and Vigo remain under discussion.
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On the Moroccan side, six stadiums have been designated, including the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat and the Grand Stade de Casablanca, the latter with a planned capacity of 115,000 spectators. Portugal, for its part, has designated three stadiums: the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, the Dragon stadium in Porto, and the José Alvalade stadium, also in Lisbon.
Inspections et future approbation
FIFA will conduct thorough inspections of Moroccan stadiums to assess their suitability for the World Cup. These inspections are a vital step in ensuring that all sports facilities meet the highest international standards. The decisive meeting at which FIFA will give its final approval for the joint hosting of the three countries is scheduled for next month in Switzerland.
The announcement of the host stadiums for the 2030 FIFA World Cup is a key moment for organizers and fans around the world. The selected cities will have the honor and responsibility of welcoming the best football teams and millions of fans from all over the world. This decision will mark the start of preparations to give the tournament its importance. Agadir and all the competing cities are impatiently awaiting this meeting which will determine their role in this major world sporting event.
