Spain confident it will host the 2030 World Cup final because it ‘deserves’ it

Spain confident it will host the 2030 World Cup final because it ‘deserves’ it 1 of 3 | FIFA president Gianni Infantino leaves after attending a Women AFCON 2026 soccer match between Malawi and Zambia, in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (AP Photo) 2 of 3 | FIFA president Gianni Infantino attends a Women’s AFCON 2026 soccer match between Malawi and Zambia, in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (AP Photo) 3 of 3 | FIFA president Gianni Infantino, center, speaks to FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, left, sitting beside president of Moroccan Royal Football Federation Fouzi Lekjaa as they attend a Women’s AFCON 2026 soccer match between Malawi and Zambia, in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (AP Photo) 1 of 3 | FIFA president Gianni Infantino leaves after attending a Women AFCON 2026 soccer match between Malawi and Zambia, in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (AP Photo) 1 of 3 FIFA president Gianni Infantino leaves after attending a Women AFCON 2026 soccer match between Malawi and Zambia, in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (AP Photo) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 3 | FIFA president Gianni Infantino attends a Women’s AFCON 2026 soccer match between Malawi and Zambia, in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (AP Photo) 2 of 3 FIFA president Gianni Infantino attends a Women’s AFCON 2026 soccer match between Malawi and Zambia, in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (AP Photo) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 3 of 3 | FIFA president Gianni Infantino, center, speaks to FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, left, sitting beside president of Moroccan Royal Football Federation Fouzi Lekjaa as they attend a Women’s AFCON 2026 soccer match between Malawi and Zambia, in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (AP Photo) 3 of 3 FIFA president Gianni Infantino, center, speaks to FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, left, sitting beside president of Moroccan Royal Football Federation Fouzi Lekjaa as they attend a Women’s AFCON 2026 soccer match between Malawi and Zambia, in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (AP Photo) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] MADRID (AP) — The Spanish government remained confident the final of the 2030 World Cup will be in Spain.Speaking after a report that FIFA allegedly awarded the final to co-host Morocco, sports minister Milagros Tolón said Spain “deserved” to host the title game.“We are the reigning men’s and women’s World Cup champions, and Spain and Portugal spearheaded the bid for the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco later joined,” Tolón told Cadena Ser late Wednesday. “We have many advantages and strengths as a country.”Spain, Portugal and Morocco are the main 2030 co-hosts. Morocco hopes to host the final at the planned 115,000-seat King Hassan II Stadium near Casablanca. Spain has at least two contenders — Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and Barcelona’s Camp Nou.FIFA on Tuesday denied a British media report suggesting President Gianni Infantino, in seeking support for his presidency, offered Morocco the hosting of the final in 2030. A FIFA spokesperson said it’s “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.”Tolón said the Spanish government was “surprised” about the report that FIFA gave the final to Morocco. 1 MIN READ 1 MIN READ “The most important thing is that FIFA has already denied it,” she said. “We are working with FIFA, and we have our next meeting in September. They have been very clear and emphatic in denying this news. We will continue working because we want, and it has to be, that the World Cup final is in Spain.”___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer