FIFA denies claims Gianni Infantino offered Morocco 2030 World Cup final for political backing

Gianni Infantino's efforts to contain the growing crisis surrounding his FIFA presidency have reportedly taken another dramatic turn, with claims that he offered Morocco the right to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup final in exchange for political backing as pressure over his leadership continues to mount.

The claim was first reported by The Times, which said Infantino allegedly made the offer as he sought public backing from member associations ahead of next year's FIFA presidential election. Morocco is set to co-host the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, although FIFA has yet to decide where the final will be staged.

According to The Times, Infantino has sought to strengthen support for his expected re-election campaign by privately assuring Morocco that it would stage the 2030 World Cup final. Morocco will co-host the centenary tournament alongside Spain and Portugal, while Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will each host one commemorative opening fixture. However, FIFA has not yet selected the venue for the final.

The report claims Morocco hopes to stage the match at the under-construction Hassan II Stadium near Casablanca after reports that Infantino has privately assured Moroccan officials they would host the 2030 FIFA World Cup final. Once completed, the 115,000-seat venue would become the largest football stadium in the world. Spain, meanwhile, is also pushing to host the final, with the renovated Santiago Bernabéu widely viewed as its preferred venue.

FIFA has strongly denied the report, insisting that no commitment has been made over the location of the 2030 World Cup final. A FIFA spokesperson said: "It is false and misleading to claim the FIFA President has made any promise in relation to hosting the FIFA World Cup 2030 final. A decision will be made by FIFA in due course." Even if such assurances had been made privately, any future decision on the final venue would still require FIFA approval and could ultimately be revisited under a different administration.

The latest report comes just days after Infantino abandoned the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal following widespread opposition from football's governing bodies and member associations. The project would have created a commercial entity to manage FIFA competitions, including plans to sell a minority stake in the World Cup to private investors. The proposal triggered fierce criticism from UEFA, the English FA, CONCACAF and several national associations before FIFA confirmed it would not proceed.

Since then, UEFA has formally warned FIFA of potential legal action over the failed proposal, while calls for governance reforms and leadership changes have continued to grow.

Morocco has been one of Infantino's strongest supporters since he became FIFA president in 2016. The FIFA chief has spent recent days in Rabat, where he reportedly convened an emergency meeting with senior officials at FIFA's Africa regional headquarters as the fallout from the failed FFE proposal continued. Rabat also hosts FIFA's regional office and is scheduled to stage the FIFA Congress in 2027.

According to The Times, Infantino has been seeking public declarations of support from member associations as he attempts to stabilise his position ahead of next year's presidential election. Recent reporting by Adam Crafton of The Athletic indicated that while several European associations have withdrawn their backing, countries including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Lebanon and Kuwait continue to support Infantino's bid for another term, with Morocco and Egypt also remaining among his key allies.

With FIFA denying the latest allegations and no official decision yet taken on the 2030 final venue, the contest over both the World Cup's biggest match and the organisation's future leadership is set to remain firmly in the spotlight.