Spain could pull out of hosting the 2030 World Cup if the final is held in Morocco

FIFA has not yet decided where the final of the 2030 football World Cup will be played. But Spain could pull out as a joint host of the tournament if the final is staged in Morocco, the leader of Spain's opposition People's Party, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, has suggested. His demand is that the World Cup final should be held in Spain.

Spain, Portugal and Morocco will jointly host the 2030 World Cup. But a contest is under way among the three countries over where the tournament's most important match — the final — will be played.

Speaking on a Spanish television programme on Thursday, Feijoo said the World Cup final must be in Spain. 'The World Cup final has to be in Spain. If it is not, in my view Spain should not be involved in hosting the World Cup,' he said.

Asked whether, if his party were in power, he would move to withdraw Spain as a host if the final were not in Spain, he replied: 'Yes, absolutely.'

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also said in an interview in September that he was working to have the final staged in Spain.

The Spanish national team's coach, Luis de la Fuente, said at a news conference last Friday that the final should be in Spain as well.

On the other hand, the president of the Moroccan Football Federation, Fouzi Lekjaa, claimed at an event in September that Casablanca would have the honour of hosting the 2030 World Cup final.

FIFA has said a decision on the final venue will be announced in due course.

The world football governing body has this month begun inspecting the possible host cities in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

FIFA says the next decision will be taken after assessing the cities' capacity to host matches.

No final announcement has yet been made on the venue for the final. With Spain and Morocco both taking firm positions on their claims, the football world is waiting for the decision.