FIFA announced that its inspection teams will travel to the candidate cities and stadiums nominated for the 2030 World Cup during November and December. The programme covers six Moroccan locations – Agadir, Casablanca, Fez, Marrakech, Rabat and Tangier – as well as Lisbon and Porto in Portugal, and Barcelona, Bilbao, Las Palmas, Madrid, San Sebastián, Seville and Zaragoza in Spain. Delegates will meet local authorities, stadium officials and logistics providers to evaluate the readiness of facilities, transport links and accommodation capacity.
The inspections come amid an intense rivalry over the tournament’s final venue. Moroccan officials have highlighted a new stadium being built in the Benslimane area near Casablanca, projected to hold around 115,000 spectators, while Spanish stakeholders continue to promote existing arenas such as Santiago Bernabéu and Camp Nou. FIFA has confirmed that the final’s location remains undecided. In a separate development, the 2030 edition will open with three matches staged in South America – Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay – to commemorate the centenary of the inaugural World Cup, adding a historic, three‑continent dimension to the event.
