Almeida: Casablanca has more options than Madrid for the final

Casablanca positions itself ahead of Madrid for the 2030 World Cup final

The Mayor of Madrid has voiced what no Spanish official usually admits: that his city is lagging behind.
José Luis Martínez Almeida stated this morning that Casablanca has more options than Madrid to host the 2030 World Cup final, and he said it plainly: “I am not optimistic.” This declaration came amidst his criticism of the government's management in Ceuta and his theory that Segarro is indeed moving, politically and institutionally, to secure the decisive match.

What has Almeida said about the 2030 World Cup final?

The official places the bidding for the final in the diplomatic arena, not the sporting one. He maintains that the neighboring country's interest is “legitimate” and that they are working on it using institutional leverage. In his view, Madrid competes at a disadvantage because the push from the other side is not football-related, but political. The statement has emerged in a context strained by the dispute over Ceuta.

The cost of dropping out of the World Cup

The idea circulates that withdrawing from the tournament would require breaking contracts and paying high penalties. The higher the commitment, the less likely it is that anyone would sign off on leaving: those responsible for such a signature would be exposed.
The alternative suggested—pressuring the organizer with Portugal as a partner—clashes with the fact that Lisbon already has its own role reserved in the distribution.

Rejection of mega-events

There is also a current that distrusts any event hosted by Spain. The argument put forward is that events like the Olympics or an Expo drive up budgets and open the door to cost overruns. Under this logic, losing the final would not be a tragedy.

With the decision still undecided, the question remains whether Spain will make a move to FIFA or accept a secondary role without a fight.