How Morocco lost the race to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Wed 10th Jun, 2026 22:37

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on Thursday, June 11, but it is remarkable to think the tournament could have been staged in Africa.

Morocco's dream of becoming the second African nation to host the World Cup came to an end on June 13, 2018, when its bid was defeated by the joint proposal from the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The United Bid won convincingly with 134 votes, while Morocco received 65, easily surpassing the 104 votes required to secure hosting rights.

Although Morocco enjoyed overwhelming backing from African football associations, it failed to win enough support in Europe and Asia, where the North American bid dominated the vote.

Almost every African federation backed Morocco. Among the notable European countries that supported the Moroccan bid were France, Italy and the Netherlands, but most of the continent voted for the United Bid, which ultimately proved decisive.

In South America, Brazil was the only country to vote for Morocco, while the remaining federations supported the North American proposal. Most Caribbean associations also sided with the United Bid.

Spain, Slovenia and Cuba abstained from voting, while Iran selected "None of the bids." Ghana was unable to vote after FIFA excluded the country from the ballot following the dissolution of the Ghana Football Association by the government amid the 2018 corruption scandal. The move was deemed government interference in football administration, making Ghana ineligible to participate in the host selection vote.

The 2026 World Cup starts tomorrow, and it's crazy to think it could have been in Africa.

Morocco lost the 2018 hosting vote despite receiving backing from Italy, France and the Netherlands.

Ghana didn't vote because of the government's takeover of football at the time. pic.twitter.com/fjY7rzD26p

â€” Fiifi (@Efson_) June 10, 2026

Ahead of the ballot, FIFA's technical evaluation ranked the United Bid above Morocco's proposal, noting that the amount of new infrastructure required for the North African nation "could not be overstated."

Despite the disappointment, Morocco's campaign helped strengthen its international standing. Twelve years later, the country secured the right to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, becoming only the second African nation after South Africa to stage football's biggest tournament.

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Morocco loses race to host 2026 World Cup

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