A Spanish political party has called for Morocco to be stripped of its role as co-host of the 2030 World Cup, following a migrant crisis that has strained relations between Spain and Morocco.
Diplomatic standoff over Ceuta
The tournament is set to be held across Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, but a row erupted after thousands of migrants flocked to Ceuta, a Spanish autonomous city on the North African coast. The enclave shares a land border with Morocco, and nearly 100 deaths have been reported since last week.
The left-wing party Sumar has filed a motion urging the Spanish government, the Spanish Football Federation, and Portuguese authorities to "carry out a specific review and evaluation of the current joint organisation model." They also want Spain to request that FIFA activate mechanisms to review compliance with its statutes and human rights policy, and to conduct an independent, public study of "risks to human rights in host countries."
Support from Portugal
Sumar's proposal includes a six-month timeline and a push for reforming FIFA's regulatory framework to allow withdrawing host status for "serious" breaches. In Portugal, the Green Party, the sixth-largest in the legislature, has voiced support. In a statement, they said: "Morocco's participation in co-organising the 2030 World Cup with Portugal and Spain has become unsustainable."
No men's World Cup host has ever been stripped of hosting rights after confirmation. The 1986 hosts were changed when Colombia withdrew, with Mexico stepping in.
