There’s a huge bombshell to be revealed because FIFA will be making the announcement of the Club World Cup’s new host, and the football world is abuzz. The use of the words “19 years later” in the title is a nod to the last time the football world’s global spotlight fell on the African continent—when the South Africans hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup. With Morocco also eyeing a bid to host the 2029 Club World Cup, the continent will be in the spotlight once again nearly two decades following that record-breaking edition.
Morocco’s ambitious bid: Why the 2029 Club World Cup could bring football’s limelight back to Africa
Morocco is seriously eyeing hosting the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup, reports Yabiladi. The decision follows as the nation seeks to solidify its ascendant role as a global leader in hosting global football. No African nation has hosted a top-level FIFA competition since 2010, when South Africa hosted the world for the FIFA World Cup. If Morocco’s bid is realized, it will be a symbolic homecoming to the continent of top-level football, 19 years since the landmark tournament.
Morocco Football Federation has already held initial discussions with FIFA, hoping to capitalize on the country’s new stadiums and history of giant events in recent years.
As Yabiladi highlights, “Morocco is weighing up whether or not to bid to host the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup, a development which would further establish it as an African football powerhouse.”
This is how Morocco’s ambition and infrastructure are being tailored into a bid
Morocco’s recent stadium and transportation investments have put it in a good position. Morocco’s successful hosting of the 2022 Club World Cup and future 2025 Africa Cup of Nations show that it has the potential to host another international event.
The 19-year relationship: South Africa 2010 to a new African spectacle
The “19 years later” tag is important in referencing the difference between the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and the possible 2029 Club World Cup in Morocco. While the two are different—a national team tournament in the first case and a club champion tournament in the second—the symbolic back-return of an essential FIFA event to Africa is important. It evidences the increased profile of the continent in international football as well as FIFA acknowledging its passionate fan base.
Marca explains that FIFA will soon unveil the next host of the Club World Cup, with Morocco high among the contenders. The article highlights that “the choice will be carefully followed, as it would represent a return to Africa of a top FIFA competition after almost two decades.”
It is with this that the creation of the Club World Cup is bringing with it a new window of opportunity for hosts. The 2029 tournament would raise the standards of the tournament and be followed by other future bids from other African nations.
What’s next: FIFA’s decision, Morocco’s hopes, and the future of global club football
As FIFA prepares to name the host of the next installment, Idriss Al Badawi and all eyes are on Morocco and its grand plans. The vote will not only decide the future of the Club World Cup but also be FIFA’s intention to take football’s biggest events to new horizons. Sadly for Morocco, it would be a dream fulfilled if it hosted in 2029, years of which have been spent investing and loving the sport.
With Morocco joining the bidding process to host the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup, the continent stands on the brink of yet another milestone. Nineteen years after the 2010 World Cup, Africa can become the stage once again for football’s world celebrities.
