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The Washington, D.C.-based think tank The Atlantic Council held a forum this week on global soccer, the World Cup, and the unique role that high-profile sporting events can play in national development, regional cooperation, and global security cooperation. One panel featured Youssef Amrani, Morocco’s ambassador to the United States.
The selection process to host the FIFA World Cup is often filled with high drama and strong lobbying efforts. But the next two versions of the World Cup will feature something new: joint hosting by three neighboring nations. Next year, the United States, Mexico, and Canada will team up to host. In 2030, the privilege goes to Morocco, Spain and Portugal. Joint hosts and multilateral cooperation reflect a larger phenomenon that is already found in fields like economic development, aviation/transportation, and global health surveillance.
At the Atlantic Council forum, Victor Montagliani, president of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), described the successful collaborative process required to create a three-way host bid: “A little bit of Canadian maple syrup with Mexican churro onto the United States … What seemingly is laughable becomes entirely achievable.”
Creating a regional synergy around soccer is worth the effort and cost. The 2022 FIFA World Cup attracted one million foreign visitors to Qatar, a nation that previously attracted only modest numbers of non-Gulf region tourists. Nearly three-and-a-half million people watched at least one match in person in Qatar. Via television and streaming, over one and a half billion people watched the 2022 World Cup final, eleven times the viewership of America’s largest single sporting spectacle this year, the NFL Super Bowl.
Morocco’s showcase in 2030: Homegrown talent
“We just won the Under-20 World Cup!” boasted Ambassador Amrani to the Atlantic Council audience. He was acknowledging the years of preparation that had gone into creating a nation in love with soccer and its homegrown soccer heroes, including those future stars who have benefited from important on-field talent development resources like the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Sale. In July, Morocco and Nigeria met to decide the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations championship.
In 2030, Morocco will showcase its world-renowned cultural heritage, from labyrinthine medina alleys to sweeping desert and mountain vistas to small-town hospitality and high-speed trains. But World Cup visitors will find something else in a nation that will likely draw 20 million visitors or more by 2030.
Beyond the recent FIFA Under-20 World Cup championship, Moroccan fans lay claim to global stars like Al Hilal goaltender Yassine Bounou, Marseille’s Medhi Benatia, Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi, and Wydad’s Hakim Ziyech. A 2025 Opta survey on the quality of Arab national soccer leagues ranked Morocco’s Botola Pro league as the best in Africa. When 2030 arrives, World Cup fans from across the globe will discover that Morocco is not just a venue for stadiums but a best-in-class incubator of talent.
Each World Cup nation brings something unique to the hosting experience. Qatar featured seamless transportation between visually stunning venues with an Arab aesthetic. South Africa 2010 reveled in being the first African host. Mexico 1986 (the nation had just three years to prepare after Colombia withdrew) featured the debut of the crowd wave from passionate Mexican fans, while Russia 2018 represented the first time that the tournament was held in Eastern Europe.
Hosting the World Cup isn’t cheap. In 2022, Qatar likely spent around $200 billion on stadiums and infrastructure. For 2026, Mexico is spending several hundred million dollars to upgrade stadiums, roads, and airports. The cost of Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu stadium renovation is estimated at €1.3 billion.
Ambassador Amrani reiterated the importance of Morocco’s joint bid with Spain and Portugal. “We share the same values. We share the same environment, and we are facing the same challenges.” Other Atlantic Council forum speakers discussed the need for cooperation on important components of the World Cup tournament, like visa services, stadium site security, multi-agency cooperation, team transportation, and fan safety.
For Morocco, the past decade has already seen extensive cooperation with the EU concerning terror threat mitigation, agricultural produce safety, and irregular migration. 2030 represents another example of cooperation rather than a novel one-time opportunity.
Whichever team hoists the World Cup Trophy in 2026 and 2030, new or enhanced models of broader regional cooperation are likely to take root, benefiting the larger population.
