Morocco seems determined to position itself in all areas, including football. The kingdom is mentioned in the dispute between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and the European confederation UEFA. According to Moroccan media, Infantino attempted to negotiate support for his re-election, including that of Morocco.
The 2030 World Cup final in Morocco in exchange for support for Infantino's re-election
In a document submitted to the U.S. justice system at the end of August to gather evidence against Infantino, UEFA accused him of attempting to corrupt the Moroccan federation, according to the website Le Desk.
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According to the document, the FIFA president promised the Moroccan federation to organize the 2030 World Cup final in Morocco, which will be co-hosted with Spain and Portugal, in exchange for a public declaration of support for his candidacy to ensure his re-election at the head of world football.
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Morocco, an example of the FIFA president's strategy
Morocco is presented as “an example of a strategy that UEFA accuses the FIFA president of using, which is to leverage the awarding of competitions as a tool for internal politics,” highlights Le Desk.
This approach is not new. Back in 2018, during the selection of the host country for the 2026 World Cup, Infantino allegedly favored the North American bid while claiming to be neutral and contacted foreign heads of state “to secure votes,” UEFA accuses.
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The bid from the United States, Canada, and Mexico received 134 votes compared to 34 for Morocco.
This time, it is Morocco that the controversial FIFA president allegedly attempted to bribe at the expense of Spain, which claims the right to host the final of the upcoming World Cup. Morocco is clearly identified in the document as a “monetized support” for Gianni Infantino.
UEFA's request to the U.S. justice system aims to gather evidence for a criminal complaint against the FIFA president in Swiss courts.
