TA: 2030 월드컵 결승전 경기장 경쟁, 베르나부가 누カンプ를 앞서

According to The Athletic, the 2030 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with intense competition over the venue for the final match still ongoing.

Just as the World Cup final at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium came to an end on Sunday, and the fireworks from the award ceremony had not yet dissipated in the night sky, people's attention was already turning to four years later.

The 2030 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup in 1930, the first three matches will be held in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.

This joint bid was officially approved by FIFA in December 2024. The plan envisions the remaining matches being held at 11 stadiums in Spain, 6 in Morocco, and 3 in Portugal.

However, many details of the 2030 event have yet to be finalized, with one of the most pressing issues for the three countries being which stadium will have the honor of hosting the final – the biggest stage in global sports.

Who looks more advantageous?

Although Barcelona's Camp Nou is still under renovation, it meets FIFA's requirements for hosting the World Cup final. However, the Royal Spanish Football Federation has always preferred Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

The Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is one of the most famous and iconic stadiums in world football, and it is the only stadium to have hosted the finals of the World Cup, European Championship, Champions League, and Copa Libertadores. In 1982, when Spain hosted the World Cup alone, the final was held here.

In recent years, the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium has undergone a renovation costing around 1.5 billion euros, adding VIP, hospitality, and media facilities, as well as a futuristic "silver skin" and 360-degree digital screens. In November last year, it hosted the first NFL game in Spanish history, where these new facilities were showcased for the first time.

Several sources familiar with the matter told The Athletic that there are "many reasons" for the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium to host the 2030 final. They pointed out that Spain is the largest host country among the three, and will host more matches during the World Cup; Spain also has rich experience in hosting major events and is one of the strongest football powers in Europe, as evidenced by the performance of Luis de la Fuente's team in the 2026 tournament.

An industry insider familiar with the thinking of the Spanish Football Federation added that sponsors and industry leaders would also be attracted to such a historic stadium and the center of one of Europe's hottest capitals.

But the same person said that since the Spanish and Moroccan Football Federations and governments formally became hosts, the way they have been working has been very different, and the situation has changed significantly as a result.

"Eighteen months ago, the Santiago Bernabéu could not have lost the 2030 final, but today I wouldn't be surprised if it did, because compared to what Morocco has done, the position of the Spanish Football Federation is very weak," the source said.

What is Morocco doing?

Before FIFA officially confirmed Morocco's co-hosting qualification, the Moroccan authorities had already begun planning to build a new stadium, the Hassan II Stadium, near Casablanca, with a capacity of 115,000 people.

Soussi Yassir, the general manager of Morocco's National Agency for Public Facilities, told AS in May: "We want the final. We know that for many, the Santiago Bernabéu is a temple of football, but it is located in the city center and is already built. The Hassan II Stadium is brand new and can be more easily adjusted to meet FIFA's requirements. Whatever they ask for, we can provide."

The new stadium received about 1 billion euros in government funding. To meet all of FIFA's requirements, public investment will also be used to build supporting infrastructure, including a new railway and highway connecting the stadium to downtown Casablanca and the capital Rabat.

This massive investment aligns with King Mohammed VI's policy of making Morocco a football powerhouse. Fouzi Lekjaa, who has been the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation since 2014, is at the core of this strategy, with his ambition and personal style standing out.

The 55-year-old Lekjaa is one of the most influential decision-makers in international football, serving as the first vice-president of CAF and a member of FIFA's highest decision-making body.

Lekjaa has been a staunch supporter of FIFA President Gianni Infantino. In July 2025, Infantino visited Rabat to inaugurate FIFA's new African office, similar to the branch in Miami, where much of the preparation for the 2026 World Cup was carried out.

Sources close to the highest levels of Morocco's event preparation told The Athletic that they believe it would be "fairer" for Casablanca to host the final, according to the principle of rotating events among continents. They pointed out that in the history of the World Cup, Africa has only hosted one final, the 2010 South Africa World Cup.

What is Spain doing?

In recent years, the Spanish Football Federation has experienced a lot of turmoil and changes, especially after former president Luis Rubiales resigned in August 2023 following a conviction for sexual assault after kissing Jenni Hermoso after the women's World Cup victory.

Current Spanish Football Federation president Rafael Luque has been dealing with institutional issues domestically. Several industry insiders say that, at least for now, he has not established the kind of solid international relationships that his Moroccan counterparts have.

Another industry insider who attended the Spanish Football Federation's annual meeting in Madrid on June 30 said that concerns about "losing" the 2030 final to Morocco were one of the main issues discussed at the meeting.

On July 7, Miriam González, the Spanish Minister of Education, Vocational Training, and Sports, was asked about growing domestic concerns over the issue.

"There is nothing," González told Spanish journalists. "These reports have come out, but they are not official. I can assure you that this government will work to ensure the final is held in Spain."

Before the Euro quarter-final match between Spain and Belgium on July 10, Luque also responded to these rumors on DAZN.

"Spain has the greatest weight in this World Cup, and we have already started preparing. The countdown will begin in September," Luque said. "Spain is fully capable of hosting major events, as you saw when Pope Leo XIV visited the Santiago Bernabéu in early June."

Spain's strong performance in the 2026 World Cup, especially their complete dominance over Argentina in the final on Sunday, once again demonstrated their strength on the pitch.

The next day, Italian media published remarks by Javier Tebas, the president of La Liga, who called FIFA a destroyer of football and called for Infantino to step down. Tebas is also the vice president of the Spanish Football Federation. Several sources told The Athletic that these comments could undermine Madrid's chances of securing the 2030 final.

"Why go into conflict with FIFA just after winning the World Cup?" a source familiar with FIFA's thinking said. "It is not helpful at all."

La Liga has been asked for comment.

How will the decision be made?

FIFA maintains extremely tight control over all major decisions related to the World Cup.

This unprecedented six-country co-hosting arrangement was carefully designed at the highest level. When the decision was made, high-level sources within the Spanish Football Federation admitted that the last-minute addition of the three South American countries was a surprise.

The venue for the 2026 World Cup final was not finalized until February 2024. FIFA's decision-making process at the time was also highly confidential, and according to The Athletic's report at the time, the final decision was made by Infantino and a few top-level executives at FIFA.

The New York/New Jersey bidding team put in a great deal of effort to win the right to host the final, with Dallas being a strong contender. There was widespread support from politicians, sports figures, and celebrities around the MetLife Stadium. If a similar two-way contest forms in 2030, FIFA may use the opportunity to negotiate better terms with the eventual winning bidder.

Several sources also pointed out that FIFA favors stadiums where it can have as much control as possible. This could be an advantage for Morocco, as Lekjaa is also a government minister and can report directly to King Mohammed VI.

Within Spain's democratic system, the decision-making process is not so smooth. There is tension between the Socialist government and federation president Luque, who was previously a political figure in the main conservative opposition party.

The Spanish Football Federation declined to officially comment on its relationship with the Spanish government or the impact of the final hosting rights on its relationship with the Moroccan Football Federation.

A source within the Spanish Football Federation told The Athletic: "We know that Infantino likes to be lobbied, and Morocco has done everything and even more. However, we still do not see any possibility of the final not being held in Spain."

One factor that is widely seen as giving the Santiago Bernabéu an advantage is the past alliance between Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez and Infantino. Despite being in different power struggles, both have stood in opposition to UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin.

Pérez also supported Infantino's revamped Club World Cup project. Earlier this summer, during Pérez's successful re-election, Infantino provided official support to the Real Madrid chairman.

"The biggest chance for the Santiago Bernabéu now is for Florentino to go to his friend Infantino," a source who has worked with both Real Madrid and FIFA said.

FIFA has been asked for comment on this article.

Is there a Trump factor?

Of course, there is always a Trump factor.

The U.S. President has long been dissatisfied with Spain, believing that Spain has not provided enough funding for NATO. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has also angered Trump several times, including by frequently accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, criticizing the U.S. military operation in January to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and refusing to allow U.S. aircraft involved in the Iran war to use Spanish bases in March.

"Spain is a hopeless place, and Spain is a bad partner in NATO," Trump said at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 8. "We don't want to have anything to do with Spain. They are beyond help, and they are bad people."

Sánchez, however, said he had an "informal" and "friendly" conversation with Trump about football in Ankara, stating: "The United States and Spain maintain a very positive relationship at the social, cultural, economic, and political levels."

This did not stop Spanish radio station COPE from claiming that Trump was pressuring FIFA to let Morocco host the 2030 final because Morocco is a better "partner" for the U.S.

In recent years, the U.S. has been strengthening its military ties with Morocco. Trump has long supported Morocco's control over Western Sahara – a former Spanish colony believed to have untapped offshore oil reserves.

The atmosphere in the stands on Sunday seemed friendly, with Sánchez and Trump sitting in the front row at the MetLife Stadium, and Spanish captain Rodri lifting the Jules Rimet Trophy. Photos showed the two shaking hands before the kickoff.

The Spanish Football Federation stated that it would not comment on matters unrelated to football.

Other industry insiders pointed out that although Trump and his administration had a significant influence on the 2026 World Cup, the U.S. would have a different president in four years, and FIFA's focus would shift elsewhere.

What happens next?

During the 2026 World Cup, FIFA invited representatives from the 2030 host cities to observe the games and learn about the organizational structure in Miami and Dallas, including Madrid and Casablanca. The location of the International Broadcast Center and FIFA headquarters base is also under discussion.

"The infrastructure in the Spanish capital is the best and most suitable for hosting major events," Sonia Sierra, the head of sports affairs at the Madrid City Hall, told El Mundo in the U.S. "It would be unimaginable for the final not to be held in Madrid."

Throughout the bidding process, several sources have clearly stated that the real deciding factor is the views and interests of the top leadership at FIFA.

Potential changes in the tournament format could also have an impact. The 2030 World Cup is expected to have 48 participating teams, the same as this year's expanded format. However, Infantino recently told Swiss media Bluewin that "a 64-team World Cup is definitely a problem, and the relevant committee will study and discuss it after this World Cup."

This concept is unlikely to be confirmed until the next FIFA Congress, which will be held in Rabat next March, further highlighting Morocco's position at the center of football power.

At that congress, it is widely expected that Infantino will seek a fourth term as FIFA President, and he is unlikely to face any serious challengers.

The African and South American confederations have already announced that they will support Infantino's reappointment. However, it is unclear how most European associations will vote. Several incidents during the World Cup have caused dissatisfaction, especially after Trump publicly claimed to have intervened in the Balogun case, and the American forward was subsequently allowed to play after FIFA suspended his ban.