Hard-right Vox party has joined growing calls to remove Morocco as a co-host of the 2030 FIFA World Cup following last week’s migrant crisis in Ceuta.
The party has submitted a motion to Congress urging the government to review Morocco’s participation in the tournament, arguing that recent events have destroyed the trust needed for a joint bid.
‘The extremely serious events in Ceuta on July 30 and 31 have completely broken the foundations of trust and cooperation on which a shared World Cup hosting arrangement must be based,’ Vox said in its proposal.
The party accused Morocco of using migration as a political tool and claimed the country had shown it was ‘not a loyal partner’ for hosting a major international sporting event.
Calls to keep the final in Spain
Vox is also demanding the Spanish government oppose any decision that would see the 2030 World Cup final played outside Spain.
The party warned that allowing Morocco to host the showpiece match would amount to ‘a deliberate humiliation’ that Spain should resist ‘with all its strength’.
The issue has become increasingly political following reports and speculation over where FIFA could stage the final, although no official decision has been announced.
According to an exclusive by The Times, embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino told the Morocco delegation that they could host the final if they supported him to remain in his position.
Sumar made similar demand
Vox’s proposal comes just a day after Sumar, the junior partner in Spain’s coalition government, tabled its own motion calling for Spain to reconsider co-hosting the tournament with Morocco.
Sumar, supported by Podemos, argued that the recent events in Ceuta, together with concerns over human rights, justified a review of the existing hosting agreement involving Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
The left-wing party has asked the government to produce a detailed report examining the current co-hosting model, the public money committed to the tournament and possible alternatives, while also urging FIFA, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and Portugal to reassess Morocco’s role.
Both initiatives follow last week’s migrant crisis in Ceuta, which has sharply increased political tensions between Madrid and Rabat and prompted renewed scrutiny of the 2030 World Cup partnership.
Podemos co-spokesman Pablo Fernandez said Morocco should be removed as a tournament host, describing the country as a ‘dictatorship’ that ‘attacks Spain’s sovereignty’.
He argued Spain should only stage the tournament alongside Portugal and said Morocco should not even be allowed to compete in the World Cup, adding that ‘all dictatorships’ should be excluded.
Fernandez also accused Morocco of failing to respect human rights and blamed Rabat for what he described as a politically orchestrated operation against Spain during the Ceuta crisis.
