BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

The wait has been long. But it has proven worth it. Morocco, Spain, and Portugal have been officially designated the 2030 FIFA World Cup hosts.

For Morocco, it has been a wait that almost spans 40 years. Since 1988, the Kingdom of Morocco has been applying to host the biggest single sports event, the FIFA World Cup.

At the time, it was for hosting the 1994 edition, which was eventually awarded to the US.  Morocco contested with the duo of Brazil and the US.

All indications pointed to the fact that the US was the anointed candidate.  The announcement was initially to be made on 30 June 1988. But on 3 March 1988, FIFA announced a delay, shifting to a new date of 4 July 1988.

The handwriting was clear on the wall, as the new date was the 212th anniversary of the US independence. The designation of the hosting right appeared designed as an icing on the anniversary cake.

So at Movenpick Hotel in Zurich, the US was proclaimed the host for the 1994 World Cup despite the country not having a football culture and having not even qualified for the World Cup for 38 years – since 1950.

Morocco again put up a candidacy for the 1998 edition. Again the bid failed when on 3 July 1992, the then 19-member FIFA Executive Committee voted 12-7 in favour of France in a two-horse race with Morocco.

The kingdom made a third attempt to host the 2006 World Cup. The decision on the host was taken on 6 July 2000. It involved four bidding nations – Germany, South Africa and Morocco after Brazil had withdrawn three days earlier.

 Three rounds of voting were required, each round eliminating the nation with the fewest votes. Morocco with two votes out of obtainable 23 was first to be eliminated.

Then came the bid for 2010, which was restricted to Africa. FIFA selected South Africa over Egypt and Morocco to become the first African nation to host the World Cup.

With the 2014 World Cup designated only to South American candidates, Morocco had to look forward to another time especially as the principle of rotation already excluded Africa and South America for the 2018 and 2022 editions.

Two bids to host the 2026 World Cup were submitted to FIFA – a joint bid by Canada, Mexico and the United States, and one by Morocco.

For the fourth time, Morocco lost out. At the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow on 13 June 2018, the joint bid was selected by 134 votes to Morocco’s 65.

Morocco has waited patiently and will be hosting with Spain and Portugal, which is easily the major milestone edition. The 2030 World Cup is the centennial edition marking the 100 years of the World Cup.

It will be the first World cross-cultural edition margining the Arab and Western cultures and also the first to be held across two continents. The waiting by Morocco has paid off.

The kingdom has made a significant impact and contributed immensely to World Cup culture. Easily remembered is the country’s mark at the last World Cup as the first African and Arab nation to reach the last four and with a home-grown coach.

Beyond that, Morocco became the first African country to earn a point at the World Cup when the Atlas Lions held Bulgaria to a 1-1 draw at Mexico 1970 edition.

In 1986, again in Mexico, Morocco became the first African team to top a World Cup group and also the first to get beyond the group stage. Additionally, Morocco became the second team outside Europe and the Americas to cross the group stage. North Korea in 1966 was the first.

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CAF President Patrice Motsepe extends his congratulations to Morocco for the official award of the organization of the 2030 World Cup with Portugal and Spain.

Patrice Motsepe, President of the Confederation of African Football, expressed “his warmest congratulations to Morocco” after being awarded the hosting of the 2030 World Cup, alongside Portugal and Spain, during the Extraordinary FIFA Congress held today.

Patrice Motsepe said: “The alliance between Morocco, Portugal and Spain constitutes a symbolic bridge between Africa and Europe through football, and it inspires all players in the world of football to work together to make the world a better place.

“This day is a source of great pride for African football, as Morocco becomes the second African country in FIFA history to host the World Cup.

“CAF welcomes this historic event and congratulates Morocco and its partners, Portugal and Spain.

“We would like to express our deep appreciation to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, and to the Moroccan government and people for launching and supporting Morocco’s bid for the 2030 World Cup.

“I am particularly proud of the decisive role and exemplary leadership of our brother, Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.

“I would also like to express my thanks to the 54 CAF member associations for their solidarity and unwavering support for Morocco’s candidacy.

“Our thanks also go to FIFA President Gianni Infantino for his visionary leadership, as well as to the 211 FIFA Members for granting the co-hosting rights of the 2030 World Cup to Morocco and Africa.”

CAF also congratulated the Kingdom of  Saudi Arabia, His Majesty the King, the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud and the people of Saudi Arabia for having been awarded the FIFA World Cup 2034.

CAF has worked together and partnered, over many years with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and is appreciative and thankful for this important partnership.”

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Saudi Arabia will host the men’s soccer World Cup in 2034 while the 2030 edition will be held in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with one-off matches in three South American countries, world soccer’s governing body FIFA confirmed on Wednesday.

The decision was announced by FIFA President Gianni Infantino following a virtual extraordinary Congress. The 2030 and 2034 World Cups each had only a single bid and both were confirmed by acclamation.

“We are bringing football to more countries and the number of teams has not diluted the quality. It actually enhanced the opportunity,” Infantino said about the 2030 World Cup.

The combined proposal from Morocco, Spain and Portugal will see the 2030 World Cup take place across three continents and six nations, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay hosting celebratory games to mark the tournament’s centenary.

Uruguay held the first World Cup in 1930, while Argentina and Spain have also staged the tournament. Portugal, Paraguay and Morocco will all be first-time hosts.

Four years later, Saudi Arabia will become the second nation from the Middle East to host the quadrennial tournament, 12 years after neighbours Qatar staged the 2022 edition.

In 2023, FIFA said that the 2034 World Cup would be held in the Asia or Oceania region, with the Asian Football Confederation throwing its support behind the Saudi bid.

Australia and Indonesia had also been in talks over a joint bid, but dropped out.

FIFA announced that both bids would be uncontested in 2023, leaving little room for doubt.

On Tuesday, the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) said it would vote against the awarding of hosting rights by acclamation and criticised FIFA’s bidding process, saying it was “flawed and inconsistent”.

-Reuters