The 2030 World Cup has caused an unusual coincidence between Vox, Sumar and Podemos. The three parties have demanded a review of Morocco's participation in the organization of the tournament after the massive entry of people in Ceuta, although there is no joint initiative or political agreement among them.
Sumar and Vox have registered non-legislative proposals in Congress, while Podemos has publicly expressed its position. The three forces share the goal of questioning the candidacy formed by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, but they use different arguments and formulas.
Sumar brings the review of the World Cup to Congress
Sumar was the first of the three parties to bring the issue to Parliament. Its non-legislative proposal asks Congress to express its opinion on the advisability of Spain continuing to organize the World Cup alongside Morocco.
The initiative calls on the Government to study alternatives with FIFA, the Royal Spanish Football Federation and Portugal. The group links its proposal to the crisis in Ceuta, the respect for human rights, and what it considers a political use of vulnerable people by Rabat.
The United Left deputy integrated in Sumar, Nahuel González, has also criticized that Spain could be left without the inaugural match and without the final. In his opinion, the organization of the tournament must be reconsidered both due to the relationship with Morocco and the distribution of the main matches.
Vox joins and demands the exclusion of Morocco
Vox has registered another non-legislative proposal for the Government to demand the exclusion of Morocco as co-organizer of the World Cup. The party argues that the border crisis demonstrates that Rabat is not a reliable partner and questions whether it can guarantee the security of a competition of this nature.
The initiative also asks the Executive to oppose the final being held outside of Spain. Vox believes that the decisive match must be held on Spanish territory and rejects that Casablanca could impose itself over national candidacies.
The proposal places the party in a position similar to that of Sumar regarding the final outcome, although the arguments are not identical. Vox focuses its discourse on sovereignty, border security, and the defense of Spain's interests.
Podemos demands a World Cup with Spain and Portugal
Podemos has gone a step further by directly requesting that Morocco be expelled from the organization and that the World Cup be held only in Spain and Portugal.
The state co-spokesperson Pablo Fernández has accused the Alaouite kingdom of violating human rights and attacking Spanish sovereignty. His position coincides with Sumar and Vox in rejecting the current structure of the candidacy, although Podemos does not participate in the parliamentary initiatives registered by those two groups.
The left and Vox agree, but do not pact
The coincidence does not imply that there is an agreed strategy. Sumar proposes to open an institutional review, while Podemos and Vox explicitly demand the exclusion of Morocco. Each party has acted separately and there is no record that they have negotiated a common text.
They also differ in the reasons used. Sumar and Podemos emphasize human rights, Western Sahara, and the use of immigration as a pressure tool. Vox incorporates those reproaches into a discourse focused on national sovereignty, security, and the defense of the final in Spain.
The convergence currently leaves the PSOE isolated within the Government. Sumar questions a candidacy that the Executive continues to support and for which it created an interministerial commission involving 15 ministries. Pedro Sánchez had presented the World Cup as a symbol of cooperation with Portugal and Morocco.
The Government maintains the joint candidacy
The Minister of Sports, Milagros Tolón, has defended that Spain continues to work with Portugal and Morocco, although she has also demanded that the final be held on Spanish territory.
FIFA officially designated the federations of the three countries as hosts of the 2030 World Cup, along with the commemorative matches that will be held in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The venue for the final has not yet been announced.
The organization has also denied that its president, Gianni Infantino, promised Morocco the celebration of the last match, after "The Times" published that he had raised that possibility to garner support for his continuity at the head of FIFA.
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Infantino offers Morocco the final of the World Cup 2030, according to The Times
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