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The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is not backing the joint bid to be submitted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain to host the 2030 World Cup, says the Associated Press.
Speaking after a meeting of the UEFA executive committee held Monday, the European soccer’s leadership president Aleksander Ceferin said that he would not accept a world cup bid that involves two different continents. «I’m not in favor of cross-confederation bids», he firmly announced.
Visiting Morocco in November, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez shared the idea of submitting a joint-bid with Morocco and Portugal for the hosting of the international tournament with King Mohammed VI.
«This proposal is a message much stronger than the shared passion for football in the three countries, it is a strong message because it would unite for the first time two continents», Sanchez told reporters in Rabat.
Politicians and football plans
However, Aleksander Ceferin opposes the idea, arguing that politicians shouldn’t be involved in «announcing bidding plans», reported AP.
«Someone should say once to the politicians it’s not up to them to speak if they will be hosts of the Euros or the World Cup or not», said Ceferin, adding that «many politicians saying we will be candidate for this and that ... for sports events they will have to speak to their national associations».
Europe's football chief, who announced before that he backs the joint candidacy to be submitted by the British Iles (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland), promised that he would do whatever he can to «have only one European bid for the World Cup».
A joint-bid with Tunisia and Algeria
Although Morocco has welcomed the plan proposed by Spain to bid alongside Portugal for the hosting of the 2030 World Cup, the government’s spokesperson, Mustapha El Khalfi, said that the Kingdom has not made its final decision yet.
«When a decision is made, Morocco will announce it», said El Khalfi during a press briefing held on November the 23rd.
For the record, Tunisia announced earlier this year that it might consider the idea of a North African joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup with Morocco and Algeria.
President of the Tunisian Football Federation Wadie Jary declared that Tunisia «haven’t received any official offers, but [it is] open to the idea and would like to see it happen».
Algeria’s sports minister, on the other hand, said that Algiers is studying the idea.
After Morocco failed to get enough votes to host the 2026 World Cup, losing to the North American joint bid, it announced that it is bidding to organize the 2030 international tournament. It is the fifth time that Morocco considers bidding to organize the international sports event.
