Fouzi Lekjaa believes the planned Grand Stade Hassan II should host the 2030 World Cup final because it is set to be the largest stadium involved in the tournament.

Speaking on Wednesday on the Moroccan television channel 2M’s programme Saat Assaraha, Lekjaa said the venue’s proposed capacity gave Morocco a strong argument as it competes with Spain for the showpiece match.

“The final must go to the stadium with the biggest capacity. For the moment, that is Hassan II Stadium,” he said.

The tournament will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal, with the allocation of the final among the main issues still to be decided. Spain is also expected to put forward venues including the Santiago-Bernabeu in Madrid.

The Grand Stade Hassan II, which is being built at Benslimane near Casablanca, is planned to hold 115,000 spectators. That would make it the largest football stadium in the world, according to the project’s stated ambition.

However, capacity alone does not guarantee that a stadium will be chosen for the final. FIFA will also assess the available infrastructure, hosting arrangements and operational requirements before making its decision.

Lekjaa, president of the Federation Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), said the wider purpose of the 2030 World Cup was not simply to divide matches between the three host nations.

He described the event as a project intended to bring together people from the two shores of the Mediterranean.

Work on the stadium is expected to be completed in early 2028, almost two years before the World Cup. Lekjaa said that timetable would allow Morocco’s national team to play at the venue ahead of the tournament.

“It is a good thing for the national team to play there before the World Cup,” he said.

The stadium could also host matches involving Wydad and Raja Casablanca before the start of the competition.

Lekjaa said the development would have an impact beyond football, particularly on the wider Casablanca area.

“The Hassan II Stadium will contribute to the urban restructuring of Greater Casablanca,” he said, pointing to plans involving the regional express rail network, or RER, and the high-speed rail line, known as the LGV.

“In the coming years, we will see a different Greater Casablanca,” he added.

FIFA is due to inspect the candidate cities in November and December. Morocco will therefore seek to show that its proposal offers more than a high-capacity stadium, with transport and urban development also forming part of the project.

The final decision on the venue for the 2030 World Cup final remains with FIFA.