Algeria Ready for Joint World Cup Bid, but Politics May Get in the Way

Algeria’s sporting authorities have reiterated a desire to jointly bid with neighbours Tunisia and Morocco for the hosting rights of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

While Algerian Minister of Sports Mohamed Hattab spoke more cautiously in June when Morocco first spoke of the possibility of a joint bid, the Algerian official is currently more welcoming of the proposal, as he “confirmed” his country would support a united Maghreb bid.

Speaking on Thursday, July 26, Hattab suggested the countries sideline political differences for the benefit of the region’s many football fans who dream of a World Cup hosted in their countries. A united Maghreb bid would increase the region’s chance of earning the trust of the footballing world.

 “I confirm Algeria’s readiness to evaluate a prospective joint bid with Morocco and Tunisia for the 2030 World Cup. This will yield enormous benefits.”

According to Hattab, if the three Maghreb countries stood together for the hosting rights, the bid would be “more solid” and competitive given the sporting and cultural infrastructure that each country will bring to the table.

Algerian Football Federation President Kheireddine Zetchi is also supportive of the United Maghreb idea. Following Morocco’s 2026 bid’s defeat on June 13, he “frankly endorsed the idea,” saying that joint bids are more likely to succeed in the future, considering that the number of teams participating in the World Cup will go up to 48 incoming tournaments, from 32.

To convince national federations of their technical and logistical abilities to organize the tournament and bear the extra costs that come with hosting all 48 competing teams, “bidders will henceforth have to join forces” and disregard political divergences, Zetchi explained.

Meanwhile, Morocco, which made the proposal in the first place, seems to be having mixed feelings over a united bid with fellow Maghreb countries.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, July 24, Fouzi Lekjaa, the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), suggested that Morocco is currently considering whether it would prefer a joint bid with Tunisia and Algeria or with its Iberian neighbours, Spain and Portugal.

“Morocco will bid to host the 2030 World Cup. But we don’t yet know whether it will be a joint bid with countries in the Maghreb or elsewhere,” he said.

TunisianMonitorOnline (Morocco World News)

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