The battle between Morocco and Spain for the honour of hosting the 2030 World Cup final has intensified after recent moves from both sides, pointing to major developments in the coming period.
Morocco, Spain and Portugal are jointly hosting the 2030 World Cup. The fight to stage the tournament's showpiece final, though, is fierce.
Morocco's Hassan II Stadium stands as one of the leading candidates. With a planned capacity of around 115,000, it will be the largest football stadium in the world when it opens as anticipated in 2029.
Spain, meanwhile, is betting on the final too, boasting plenty of huge stadiums, most notably the Santiago Bernabéu and Camp Nou.
FIFA said last September that it would determine the venue for the World Cup final "in due course", adding that it had begun visiting candidate cities in Spain, Portugal and Morocco this November to assess their suitability for hosting matches.
Spain: hosting the final is beyond dispute
In recent months Spain has ramped up its battle with Morocco. Official after official has spoken out, each one insisting the final belongs to them.
Javier Tebas, the La Liga president, launched a fierce attack on FIFA president Gianni Infantino, stressing that his continuation in the post means Morocco will host the World Cup final.
Tebas vented his anger at the announcement by Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Moroccan Football Federation, that the 2030 World Cup final would be held in Casablanca, saying FIFA was used to denying press reports despite their accuracy.
He continued: "Lekjaa confirms that the final will be held in Casablanca, while FIFA says that is not true. So, who is the liar? Is it the president of a federation organising the tournament and a member of the FIFA Council? Or should we believe, once again, the official denial issued by FIFA and Infantino?".
Rafael Louzán, president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, insisted his federation is doing its utmost to ensure the 2030 World Cup final is held in Spain, calling a Spanish final logical and beyond dispute.
Spain pressures with the weapon of withdrawal
With reports of Morocco edging closer to the final, Spain cranked up the intensity. The talk has now reached the point of threatening to withdraw from organising the tournament altogether.
Hosting the 2030 World Cup final has turned into a political issue in Spain. The general elections are scheduled for 29 November, and the dispute between parties and prominent figures over Spain's right to host the final has escalated.
Spanish opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo said he is ready to push his country to withdraw from hosting the 2030 World Cup if FIFA decides to grant Morocco the right to host the final.
Feijóo, leader of the People's Party, called it self-evident that Spain should host the event.
He added: "Spain must host the World Cup final. And if that does not happen, in my opinion, Spain should not take part in organising the World Cup".
Asked whether he would seek to withdraw Spain from organising the tournament if he came to power, Feijóo replied: "Yes, the answer is yes".
Feijóo is the leading opponent of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who told Cadena SER radio in September that he was "working to have the final match held in Spain".
Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente said in a press conference that he had already made his position clear: "the final match must be held in Spain".
Morocco: no concession on hosting the final
Morocco, for their part, are holding firm on the 2030 World Cup final, working flat out to complete the Hassan II Stadium so it is ready for the task.
Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Moroccan Federation, had already announced that "the Benslimane province will have the honour of hosting the final", voicing his hope that the Moroccan national team would feature in it.
Morocco believe no party has the right to turn historical precedence or organisational experience into guardianship over a partner. They demand a fair opportunity given their enormous organisational capabilities and distinctive geographical location.
Lekjaa has thrown himself into the file. Moroccan reports state he is preparing to reorganise his cards within the Confederation of African Football, a move that could end one of his most prominent roles in African football, after he moved towards resigning from the presidency of the CAF finance committee while retaining his position as first vice-president of the continental confederation.
The reports added that the decision fits the Moroccan official's desire to reorder his priorities and dedicate himself more fully to the responsibilities on his shoulders within Morocco, whether on the sporting or governmental level, as well as engaging in the files related to preparations for hosting the 2030 World Cup finals.