Morocco’s ambassador to Portugal, Othman Bahnini, and President of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), Fernando Gomes, held, Tuesday in Lisbon, a meeting during which the two parties discussed Morocco’s joint bid with Spain and Portugal to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Held at the initiative of the Portuguese Federation, this meeting examined ways to strengthen bilateral relations and promote the joint bid of the three countries to organize this global sporting event.
On this occasion, Gomes stressed that this tripartite bid aims to strengthen ties between Europe and Africa and relations within the Mediterranean basin, by bringing together thousands of young people from the two continents around a common project that highlights football’s role in the sports and social development of the region.
Gomes praised this unprecedented candidacy, which is a significant opportunity for the three countries, further stressing the imperative of this joint initiative at several levels.
The Portuguese official stated that the partnership between the two continents has political, strategic, and economic dimensions, noting that this joint bid will be highly beneficial to the three neighboring countries.
In a similar context, Gomes praised the impressive and distinguished performance of the Moroccan national football team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
For his part, Bahnini affirmed that the joint bid would allow the World Cup to build a bridge, for the first time, between Africa and Europe through the three host countries, linking the two continents and the North and South of the Mediterranean.
The Moroccan diplomat added that Morocco’s position in Africa and its international influence further strengthen the chances of this joint bid, noting that the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and His Majesty’s significant investment in football contributed to the success of the national team.
According to Bahnini, the Atlas Lions’ historic achievement at the World Cup in Qatar is a consecration of Morocco’s efforts in the field of sport, notably in the promotion of various disciplines, the strengthening of infrastructure, and the establishment of sports facilities that meet international standards.
On March 14, His Majesty King Mohammed VI announced Morocco’s joint bid with Spain and Portugal to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, in a message on the occasion of the presentation of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) President’s Outstanding Achievement Award 2022 last March in Kigali.
His Majesty the King noted that this joint bid, unprecedented in the history of football, will narrow the gap between Africa and Europe, the north and south of the Mediterranean, and the African, Arab, and Euro-Mediterranean worlds, stressing that this candidacy will be that of gathering around the best on both sides, and the demonstration of an alliance of brilliance, innovation, expertise, and resources.