Report Claims Gianni Infantino Proposed 2030 World Cup Final to Morocco in Exchange for Support Amid Ongoing Dispute

In a recent report by The Times, FIFA President Gianni Infantino allegedly offered Morocco the opportunity to host the final of the FIFA World Cup 2030 in exchange for political support amid a growing controversy surrounding his leadership. Infantino's proposal comes in the wake of backlash over his plans to sell a minority stake in the World Cup to private investors, which has sparked significant outrage within the football community.

Morocco is set to co-host the World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, although the final venue remains undecided. According to the report, Infantino has privately indicated that the Hassan II Stadium, currently under construction near Casablanca, would be the preferred location for the championship match. This offer appears to be a strategic move to garner public backing from member associations ahead of the upcoming FIFA presidential election.

In response to the report, FIFA has firmly denied any claims that Infantino made a commitment regarding the World Cup final's location. A spokesperson for the organization stated, "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."

On Wednesday, FIFA issued an apology for the missteps related to Infantino's controversial proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup. During a crisis meeting held in Morocco, senior staff members expressed their unwavering support for Infantino's presidency, attempting to present a united front amid calls for his resignation.

FIFA's statement highlighted that Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom and other management board members reaffirmed their backing for Infantino, despite the turmoil surrounding the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) initiative. The organization acknowledged that "mistakes made were acknowledged" and emphasized that the process should have been managed differently.

A letter was dispatched to the FIFA Council and member associations, apologizing for the errors and committing to preventing similar issues in the future. Grafstrom's support for Infantino was particularly noteworthy, given his previous distancing from the now-abandoned plans, which he described in an email to FIFA staff as a "sad and reproachable series of events."

FIFA confirmed that the FFE proposal is no longer under consideration, stating, "There are always lessons to be learned, and FIFA will continue to improve its processes in light of this experience."