The 2030 men’s World Cup final will be held in Spain, according to the president of the country’s football federation.
As reported by BBC Sport on Tuesday, Spain is co-hosting the tournament alongside Portugal and Morocco, with the opening three matches set to be played in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay to mark the competition’s 100th anniversary.
Spanish Football Federation president Rafael Louzan said Spain would stage the final, pointing to the country’s experience of hosting major sporting events.
“Spain has proven its organisational capacity over many years,” Louzan said. “It will be the leader of the 2030 World Cup and the final of that World Cup will be held here.”
No further details were provided on the venue, but Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium and Barcelona’s Nou Camp are viewed as the leading candidates.
World governing body FIFA, which has the final decision on match venues, has not yet confirmed where the final will be staged.
The BBC has approached FIFA, as well as the Portuguese and Moroccan football federations, for comment.
Morocco has previously expressed a desire to host the final in Casablanca at the Grand Stade Hassan II. The stadium, which is due to be completed in 2028, is expected to have a capacity of 115,000, making it one of the largest football stadiums in the world.
Last year, Morocco’s Royal Football Federation president Faouzi Lekjaa said he hoped the stadium would stage a World Cup final, potentially against Spain.
The 2030 World Cup will be the first to be staged across three continents, with matches in Europe, Africa and South America. The tournament marks 100 years since the first World Cup, which was held in Uruguay in 1930.
While Spain’s football federation has expressed confidence about hosting the final, the decision ultimately rests with FIFA, which is expected to confirm key venue details closer to the tournament.
