Former Spanish PM José Luis Zapatero backs Morocco’s bid to host 2026 World Cup

Former Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodriquez Zapatero has announced the weekend that he is backing Morocco’s bid to host the 2026 World Cup, EFE says.

Zapatero stated that «hosting the international tournament will be a huge achievement for Morocco, adding that he is working with Morocco to fulfill that».

Football federations from Africa, Asia, Europe and even the Americas have shown support for the Moroccan bid.

For the record, Morocco is the only nation competing with the United States, Mexico and Canada in a joint bid they have launched earlier this year.

Last week, President Donald Trump threatened countries willing to vote for the Moroccan bid in a tweet. «It would be a shame if countries that we always support were to lobby against the U.S. bid. Why should we be supporting these countries when they don’t support us (including at the United Nations) ?», said the Republican president.

To host the 2026 World Cup, the winning bid must gather at least 104 votes. Unlike former FIFA votes, this year all football federations are allowed to vote for the country they thing is capable of organizing the competition.