Morocco’s World Cup coup

A year ago, FIFA opened an office in Rabat to oversee several aspects of the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco will co-host alongside Spain and Portugal. That move could now pave the way for another major tournament to be staged on Moroccan soil the year before: the 2029 Club World Cup.

Hespress reports that the tournament featuring the world’s top club sides, and the event that will crown a successor to reigning champion Chelsea, is all but set to take place in Morocco. Despite strong interest from the United States, Brazil, and Qatar, FIFA is said to view Morocco as an ideal host, positioning the event as a launchpad ahead of the national-team World Cup in 2030.

“Morocco has become the leading candidate to host the 2029 Club World Cup, based on strong indicators circulating in continental and international football,” Hespress said, citing informed sources. One private source familiar with the inner workings of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation and the files of both the African and international federations told Hesport that Morocco’s chances of hosting the 2029 edition stand at around 99 percent, while noting that the final decision still depends on an official announcement from FIFA.

“The general trend within decision-making circles has become clear,” the same sources added. FIFA is believed to see hosting the 2029 Club World Cup as an advanced test run of Morocco’s infrastructure and organizational capacity, including stadiums, logistics, and its accumulated experience in staging global-scale competitions.

From Confederations Cup to Club World Cup

Traditionally, the year before a men’s World Cup featured the Confederations Cup, held in the same country as a dress rehearsal for the main event.

In 2025, FIFA shifted to an expanded Club World Cup, staged in the United States for its inaugural edition. The U.S. is also set to be one of the host nations for the next World Cup. In other words, FIFA would be following the same model with Morocco in 2029 ahead of 2030. The US, despite having the resources to host the tournament, would be left out under that scenario.

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