FIFA World Cup: NFF congratulates Morocco on 2030, backs Saudi Arabia’s quest for 2034

The Nigeria Football Federation has congratulated the Government and people of the Kingdom of Morocco over Wednesday’s decision by FIFA that the North African country will co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup finals with Spain and Portugal.

Morocco first threw her hat into the ring more than three decades ago, with a bid to host football’s biggest showpiece in 1994, but lost to the United States of America. The country lost a couple of other bids after that, including that for the 2010 finals which went to South Africa.

President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, said on Thursday that Morocco fully deserves the honour: “The NFF is celebrating with the Government and people of Morocco for the success of their tripartite bid with Spain and Portugal to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. We have no doubt that the tournament will be a huge success, as the stadia infrastructure and other relevant facilities are already there on ground, and the country has an established culture of hosting major tournaments.

“The whole of Africa is excited at the prospect of the continent hosting the FIFA World Cup for the second time.”

The 2030 finals will be the centenary anniversary of the FIFA World Cup, which began in 1930 with Uruguay as host and Cup winners. FIFA has also announced that as part of the celebrations, the first three matches in 2030 will be staged in Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina, before the whole party moves to North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula.

Gusau added that the NFF will be throwing its weight behind the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s bid to stage the 2034 finals – four years after the expected spectacle in Morocco, Spain and Portugal.

“We believe the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has the infrastructure and facilities to stage a spectacular FIFA World Cup in 2034.”

USA, Mexico and Canada will stage the next FIFA World Cup finals in 2026.