European Parties Seek Morocco's Removal From 2030 World Cup

Left-wing political parties in Spain and Portugal are demanding the reconsideration or removal of Morocco as a co-host for the 2030 FIFA World Cup. The calls follow a mass migration crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, where tens of thousands of people attempted to enter the territory, resulting in more than 80 deaths.

In Spain, the Sumar party presented a non-binding parliamentary motion urging sports authorities to revisit the hosting plan. Similarly, the Livre party in Portugal called on Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and the Portuguese Football Federation to exclude Morocco, citing human rights violations.

Moroccan officials attributed the surge of migrants to online misinformation regarding Spanish court rulings. While Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended the cooperation of Moroccan authorities in returning migrants, opposition members accused the Moroccan state of exploiting migrants to exert political pressure. The 2030 tournament is currently slated to be hosted jointly by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, with three South American nations each hosting a single match.