Reports from Spain said the chaos that surrounded the Africa Cup of Nations final has strengthened the case for the Santiago Bernabeu to host the 2030 World Cup final.
The latest AFCON final was hit by a series of organisational problems, with scenes of disorder and crowd trouble drawing heavy criticism. Spanish media described it as a setback for African hopes of staging a future World Cup final, and an added boost for Madrid’s bid.
The Bernabeu has been undergoing major redevelopment and is being positioned as one of Spain’s showcase venues ahead of the 2030 tournament, which is set to be hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
What has been revealed
The same reports revealed that the difficulties seen at the AFCON final have pushed more decision-makers to view the Bernabeu as a safer and more reliable option for the showpiece match in 2030.
With the race to host the final still open, the Spanish capital is now seen as having gained fresh momentum, especially given the stadium’s modern facilities and Madrid’s experience with major events.
