A FIFA team will conduct an inspection tour of the 2030 World Cup co-host countries, including Morocco, in November and December.
A communiqué from FIFA said the delegation will meet with representatives of local, regional, and national authorities in the three countries and inspect candidate stadiums as part of the ongoing planning process.
The FIFA delegation will visit several host cities in Morocco, including Agadir, Fez, Marrakech, Rabat, and Tangier, as well as Casablanca.
It will also visit host cities in Spain, including Bilbao, Barcelona, Las Palmas, Seville, Zaragoza, and San Sebastián.
The delegation will also visit Lisbon and Porto in Portugal.
“The site visits aim to support the assessment of each candidate host city and stadium against FIFA’s hosting requirements,” the press release stated.
The reviews will also serve as the basis for FIFA’s decision-making process ahead of the final selection of venues for the tournament.
“The number and type of matches to be held at each venue will only be determined once the host cities have been confirmed, as part of the match schedule development process,” FIFA added, reaffirming that it continues to work closely with relevant stakeholders in all three co-host countries on preparations for the tournament.
Morocco and Spain are both vying to host the final of the tournament, with Spanish reports pointing to continued lobbying and pressure for the Bernabéu to host the final.
On Wednesday, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) President Fouzi Lekjaa announced that the Grand Stade Hassan II in Benslimane, near Casablanca, will be ready in early 2028, expressing confidence in its chances of hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup final.
Speaking on a program on Moroccan TV channel 2M, Lekjaa cited the stadium’s large capacity, modern design, and compliance with international safety and sustainability standards.
In August, Spanish broadcaster Radio Nacional de España claimed that the Bernabéu had moved ahead of the Moroccan stadium in the race to host the tournament’s final.
The broadcaster also claimed that Morocco could instead be offered the right to stage the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
The claim came following allegations that FIFA President Gianni Infantino had promised Morocco the 2030 final in exchange for political support as he seeks another term in office.
FIFA, however, rejected the allegations, stating that the decision would be taken in due course.
