The Presidents of the Football Associations of Morocco, Portugal, and Spain have gathered in Rabat to confirm their joint interest in bidding for the FIFA World Cup 2030. This marks the official launch of the bidding process, and the three FA Presidents came together in person to celebrate this significant milestone.
Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Fernando Gomes, President of the Portuguese Football Federation, and Pedro Rocha, President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, presented their vision for the tournament, aiming to enrich the legacy of the FIFA World Cup, promote football, and have a global impact.
In the spirit of celebration and unity, the three nations, each with a rich football heritage and a history of intertwined cultures, plan to host an inclusive, innovative, and sustainable tournament. The 2030 World Cup is envisioned as a compact, accessible, and fan-focused event that will benefit the entire football ecosystem.
What sets this bid apart is that the FIFA World Cup 2030, if hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, would be the first men's World Cup hosted across two continents, bridging Europe, Africa, and the rest of the world. This cross-continent World Cup offers a unique opportunity to celebrate the diversity of football, foster collaboration between nations, and leave a lasting social legacy in the three host countries and beyond.
Fouzi Lekjaa highlighted the historical significance of this joint bid, emphasizing the unity of civilizations that have coexisted for over ten centuries, stating, "The three countries share a common history, a common present, and are looking forward towards a common future. All of this demonstrates, from both shores of the Mediterranean, that collective success is possible and that prosperity can have a shared and collective perspective."
Fernando Gomes, President of the Portuguese Football Federation, underscored the ambition and the paradigm shift they aim to bring to future major events: "This is a historic moment because it officially begins our process with FIFA to be able to organize the FIFA World Cup in 2030. This is a great occasion for us and highly symbolic given it will be the centenary of the first-ever edition of the tournament. But 2030 will be much more than the celebration of the past! Due to the ambition and competence of our three Federations, we believe this tournament will mark a paradigm shift in how major events are delivered in the future. That is our ambition!"
Pedro Rocha, the President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, expressed the hope and unity this bid represents: "This candidacy is a message of hope and unity because this World Cup will be a demonstration of uniting cultures and the promotion of inclusion, diversity, and respect. It will be a World Cup with a significant social legacy that will remain in Morocco, Portugal, Spain – and around the world. We have a common project that will create excitement everywhere. Let's make this dream come true!"
The selection of stadiums in the three countries is still under assessment, and no decisions have been made at this stage. The next step in the bidding process for the FIFA World Cup 2030 is the submission of bidding agreements to FIFA at the end of November 2023.