Rafael Louzán used his visit to Ceuta to speak about more than football. The president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) combined political statements, the announcement of a future Spain match and a renewed push for Spain to host the 2030 World Cup final. The mix of football and politics comes as Spain and Morocco prepare to co-host the tournament with Portugal.
Louzán made clear that his visit to Ceuta had a broader purpose. Accompanied by Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, the RFEF president spoke about sovereignty, relations with Morocco and the race to host the 2030 World Cup final. His position was clear: he believes the tournament’s last match should be played in Spain.
“Where else would it be played if not in Spain?” Louzán said, arguing that it would be difficult to understand Spain not hosting the final. He also pointed to Spain’s role in organizing the tournament, putting its share at “55%”.
His comments carry particular weight because they were made in Ceuta, where the Spanish football chief expressed his “support” for the city while openly addressing an issue that remains sensitive in relations between Rabat and Madrid.
At the same time, Louzán said he respected the other partners and acknowledged that FIFA will make the final decision. But his repeated insistence that any other outcome would be difficult to understand left little doubt about the message he was sending to FIFA in Zurich and to the other partners in the bid.
The final remains Spain’s priority
Louzán’s comments came only days after another round of pressure in Spain over the 2030 World Cup final. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has publicly backed the idea of hosting the match in Spain, while the possibility of the final being played in Morocco has sparked debate and growing tensions in the Spanish media.
Read also : Louzán and De la Fuente visit Ceuta as Spanish football enters political territory
The construction of the Hassan II Grand Stadium in Casablanca, which is expected to hold around 115,000 spectators, has changed the picture. Morocco now has a strong contender alongside the Santiago Bernabéu and Camp Nou.
As Casablanca’s bid gains strength, calls from Spain to host the final have become more persistent. This time, however, the location chosen to make that case gives the issue an added dimension: Ceuta.
Louzán did not make his case from Madrid or from the RFEF headquarters. He did so from a territory whose status remains a sensitive issue in relations between Morocco and Spain.
“What happened in Ceuta should never have happened”
The head of Spanish football also addressed relations between Rabat and Madrid directly.
Asked about the events that took place at the end of July and whether they could affect the 2030 World Cup arrangement in favor of a Spain-Portugal bid, Louzán said that “what happened in Ceuta should never have happened."
The RFEF president stopped short of questioning the partnership with Morocco. “You cannot say yes today and no tomorrow,” he said, stressing that all the partners had signed and accepted the bid.
Louzán then returned to the issue of the final. “What is regrettable is that it was not completely clear where this final should be played,” he said. He went on to insist that there would be “no logical explanation” for Spain not to host it.
At this point, his position goes beyond a preference expressed in an interview. It has become a clear message from the RFEF.
Spain to play a match in Ceuta
Another significant announcement was that the RFEF is now working on bringing a Spanish national team to play in Ceuta.
It will not be the senior national team, as the Alfonso Murube stadium does not have the capacity required for a match of that level. Another Spanish team is expected to play there soon. “They will come, we are already working on it,” Louzán confirmed.
He accompanied the announcement with another political statement, saying that Ceuta is “one hundred percent Spanish territory” and that the city wants to host a national team match. The distinction between the sporting and political aspects of the visit became even harder to draw.
Model of the Grand Hassan II Stadium in Benslimane.
Spanish football takes its position
The visit brought several issues together. The RFEF president travelled to Ceuta with Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, addressed the events of July, reaffirmed Spain’s sovereignty over the city, announced that a Spanish national team will soon play there and again argued that Spain should host the 2030 World Cup final.
At the same time, he stressed that the joint bid must not be “weakened” and that the partners would have to work “all together”. The contrast between the two positions is becoming increasingly difficult to overlook.
