Ahead of the Game: Fifa eyes Morocco over Spain as 2030 World Cup HQ
Fifa is in advanced discussions about basing the headquarters of the 2030 World Cup in the Moroccan capital Rabat.
The centenary World Cup will be co-hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal, with the opening three games to be held in Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay in a nod to the competition’s roots.
The 2026 World Cup is being run from Fifa’s office in Miami, and the Moroccan Football Federation is understood to have been lobbying the world governing body to move its tournament administration to Rabat for the four-year cycle culminating in the 2030 tournament.
In what has been seen as a positive development, Fifa last month opened its first permanent African office in Rabat at the Mohammed VI Football Complex, with further talks planned in the next few weeks.
Rabat’s Grand Theater is also being considered as a potential venue for the 2030 World Cup draw, along with the WiZink Center in Madrid and the MEO Arena in Lisbon.
Fifa has yet to confirm the host venues, but has announced a shortlist of 20 stadiums in 17 cities which includes 11 stadiums in Spain, six in Morocco and three in Portugal.
Morocco is stepping up its sporting ambitions by hosting the Africa Cup of Nations later this year and building the world’s largest football stadium.
The Grand Stade Hassan II near Casablanca, designed by French architects Oualalou + Choi and global sports design leaders Populous, has been earmarked as a possible venue for the 2030 World Cup final.
Dublin poised for two extra Euro 2028 games
Dublin’s Aviva Stadium is set to be the major beneficiary of Belfast losing hosting rights for Euro 2028 after the government withdrew funding from a planned £400m redevelopment of Casement Park, with two of the displaced matches due to be moved south of the border.
Casement Park had been due to stage five games, but rising construction costs and local political rows led to the government pulling out of the project last year, and those matches are yet to be officially reassigned by Uefa.
But Morning Wire has been told that the Aviva Stadium is likely to be awarded two of Belfast’s games, with Wembley, Hampden Park in Glasgow and Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium also in line for an extra match each.
The opening game of the tournament has been earmarked for the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, with Wembley staging the final.
Hundred TV cash may be weighted by sale price
The new owners of The Hundred franchises are preparing for a robust debate following the conclusion of this year’s competition following a proposal that the allocation of future TV revenues be based on a formula linked to each of the team’s sales price.
All eight franchises currently receive the same TV rights fees, which are managed centrally by the England and Wales Cricket Board, but with The Hundred’s overseas rights to be unbundled from the domestic deal after 2028 the new investors want control of the process.
The value of overseas rights is expected to grow significantly following this year’s influx of foreign investment, so the distribution mechanism will become increasingly important, with moves already afoot for it to be linked to each franchise’s value.
If agreed, London Spirit would gain almost four times the TV revenue of Welsh Fire, as their auction values were £300m and £80m respectively.
The first meeting of the new Hundred Board has been scheduled for 31 October, when a range of major issues, also including the format for next season and rules for the player draft, will be formally discussed for the first time.
‘The Dixie’ tag sticks at Toffees’ new home
After just one competitive game at Hill Dickinson Stadium last weekend some Everton fans are already calling their new home “The Dixie” in homage to their legendary former player Dixie Dean, whose record of 60 league goals in a single season in 1927-28 will surely never be beaten.
Having obtained almost £10m a year in naming rights from law firm Hill Dickinson, Everton are unlikely to formally endorse the nickname in the short term, but have not voiced any objections.
Football regulator CEO hire delayed
The impending appointment of Richard Monks as chief executive of the Independent Football Regulator has been put on hold pending a report from William Shawcross, the Commissioner for Public Appointments, into the process surrounding the recommendation of David Kogan as chair.
Shawcross has been asked to investigate whether Kogan’s nomination by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy “was made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments” after the Labour Party donor was added to the shortlist at a late stage without applying for the job.
Shawcross’s inquiry is not expected to alter the appointment, or that of EY partner Monks as chief executive, although it has led to a delay.
Before joining EY, Monks spent 18 years at the Financial Conduct Authority and its predecessor regulator, the Financial Services Authority.