MADRID, 28 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The president of the Managing Commission of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Pedro Rocha; the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Fouzi Lekjaa; and the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, Fernando Gomes, have met in Rabat (Morocco) to share their vision of the 2030 World Cup, which the three countries will organize.
In the year that will mark 100 years since the first World Cup, the three countries will seek to leverage their “unique football heritage, vibrant traditions and thousand years of intertwined cultures and shared history to deliver an inclusive, innovative and sustainable tournament.” , in a true spirit of celebration.”
On October 4, FIFA confirmed that the candidacy of Spain, Portugal and Morocco was chosen to organize the 2030 World Cup, although Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, which completed the rival proposal to host the tournament, would host the matches. inaugurals.
Rocha highlighted that the organization of the World Cup is a unique opportunity for collaboration between the three countries, an example in turbulent times. “In times of conflict like the ones we are currently experiencing, it is important to highlight that three countries from two continents unite: the path is peace,” he said.
“It is going to be a World Cup with a very important social legacy, which will remain forever in Morocco, Portugal and Spain and also in the entire world. We have a common project that will fill three countries with enthusiasm. Let’s make this dream possible,” he added.
For his part, Lekjaa stressed that the candidacy “will help further unite our common civilizations established more than ten centuries ago.” “The three countries share a common history, a common present and look towards a common future; and all this demonstrates, from both shores of the Mediterranean, that collective success is possible and that prosperity can have a shared and collective perspective,” he noted. .
Finally, Gomes believes that the event will leave a “mark.” “This is a historic moment because our process with FIFA to be able to organize the 2030 World Cup officially begins. This is a great occasion for us, and very symbolic, since it will be the centenary of the first edition of the tournament. But 2030 will be a lot! more than the celebration of the past!” he stressed. “Due to the ambition and competence of our three federations, we believe that this tournament will mark a paradigm shift in the way major events are organized in the future. That is our ambition,” he continued.
Regarding the stadiums of the three countries that will be included in the final candidacy, the three presidents agreed that it is “too premature” at this time to make decisions in this regard, since the studies and evaluation work of the technical teams are in progress. The next step in the candidacy process is for the three federations to present the bidding agreements to FIFA, an issue that is scheduled for the end of next November 2023.