The mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, reiterated this Friday that "he does not lose hope" that the capital will finally be the venue for the final of the 2030 World Cup, although he has expressed his doubts about whether the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, will firmly defend the Madrid candidacy against the option of Morocco.
From the viewpoint of the Faro de la Moncloa, the mayor has criticized the lack of firmness of the central Executive regarding the neighboring country, linking the dispute over the final of the tournament with the management of the migration crisis in Ceuta. "If (Pedro Sánchez) is not able to defend us against an invasion from Morocco, he is not going to defend us to have the final here in Madrid," he declared, referring to the massive entry of immigrants into the autonomous city.
Almeida's words come after the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Fouzi Lekjaa, stated that the final of the 2030 World Cup will be played in Morocco. FIFA, for its part, has not confirmed that version and has reminded that the final decision on the venue will be made "in due time."
When asked whether these statements complicate Madrid's chances of hosting the decisive match, the mayor insisted that he does not give up on the objective and that his expectations remain intact despite the Moroccan announcement. "I do not lose hope," he emphasized.
The 2030 championship will be jointly organized by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, and will also include three commemorative matches in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay. FIFA has not yet communicated which city will host the final.
The Spanish proposal involves holding the title match at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, while Morocco promotes the future Hassan II stadium, under construction in Benslimane, in the Casablanca area, as an alternative.
In various previous interventions, Almeida has defended that the Spanish capital has first-class infrastructure, extensive experience in large international events, and proven organizational capacity, factors that, in his opinion, support that Madrid be chosen as the venue for the final of the 2030 World Cup.