The Moroccan royal cabinet announced on Friday that "King Mohammed VI has appointed Fawzi Lakjaa as the head of the committee responsible for Morocco's bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, as part of a joint bid with Spain and Portugal." The statement added that this joint bid "will be titled 'Connecting Africa and Europe, the North and South of the Mediterranean Sea, and the African continent with the Arab world and the Euro-Mediterranean space.'"
Lakjaa is the president of the Moroccan Football Federation and the Minister Delegate in charge of Budget. The Moroccan monarch had announced on March 14 that Morocco would pursue a joint bid with its neighboring countries, hoping to become the second Arab nation to host the finals after Qatar last year and the second in Africa after South Africa in 2010.
Initially, Ukraine joined Spain and Portugal as a potential partner in their bid for the 2030 edition. However, with no end in sight to the war with Russia, Morocco stepped in to collaborate with the two European countries in a joint offer.
Morocco previously submitted a bid to host the 2010 World Cup but garnered only 10 votes, losing the opportunity to South Africa. The Moroccan national team made headlines during the Qatar 2022 finals by becoming the first African team to reach the semifinals, ultimately finishing in fourth place behind Croatia after losing to France.
Morocco hosted the Club World Cup this year. Additionally, there is another confirmed joint bid for the 2030 finals from South American countries: Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Uruguay hosting the first World Cup in 1930. The United States, Mexico, and Canada will host the 2026 World Cup with 48 teams participating.
