Casablanca – Raja Club Athletic sporting director Rogerio Matias believes Morocco hosting the 2030 World Cup final would not be a surprise.
Matias brought up the scale of investment underway across the country ahead of the tournament, arguing that Morocco is now a global footballing powerhouse in all the relevant senses.
Speaking in an interview with Portuguese newspaper Record, Matias highlighted the infrastructure projects he has witnessed since moving to Morocco.
“The scale of investment in Morocco and the construction work underway are impressive,” he said. “In Casablanca, a stadium with capacity for more than 110,000 spectators is being prepared.”
Matias was referring to the Hassan II Stadium under construction in Benslimane, near Casablanca. The venue is planned to hold 115,000 spectators and has emerged as Morocco’s leading candidate to stage the 2030 final.
In a report last month, Reuters quoted FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaa as publicly insisting the final would take place there, although FIFA has not officially confirmed a venue for the 2030 final.
“The government and the King are making major efforts to make the 2030 World Cup a success, and it would not be surprising if the final were held in Morocco,” Matias added.
Morocco will co-host the tournament with Spain and Portugal, while Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will each stage one centenary celebration match. FIFA confirmed the three main hosts in December 2024, but the governing body has yet to announce which stadium will stage the final.
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The venue has already become a point of discussion between Morocco and Spain, with both countries publicly presenting strong cases to host the tournament’s showpiece match. FIFA has maintained that the decision remains pending.
Matias has had a close view of Morocco’s football landscape since joining Raja during the summer.
The Portuguese executive was appointed sporting director in July as part of a restructuring of the Casablanca club’s sporting department. Raja tasked him with overseeing its football strategy, recruitment, development and long-term sporting project.
Before moving to Morocco, Matias served as sporting director at Portuguese club Vitoria Guimaraes between 2022 and 2026.
His comments add another Portuguese perspective to the continuing debate over where the 2030 final could ultimately be played, with the decision still resting with FIFA.
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho recently said he would personally prefer Lisbon but believed the Santiago Bernabeu should host the match, revealing his bias for his club’s home pitch.
FIFA has yet to reach a decision, but many believe Casablanca’s Hassan II Stadium has high chances of winning the contest.
