Morocco Joins Spain-Portugal 2030 World Cup Bid

Morocco had already said it planned to bid for the 2030 World Cup, which has been held in Africa once, in South Africa in 2010. - AFP
Morocco had already said it planned to bid for the 2030 World Cup, which has been held in Africa once, in South Africa in 2010. - AFP
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Morocco Joins Spain-Portugal 2030 World Cup Bid

Morocco had already said it planned to bid for the 2030 World Cup, which has been held in Africa once, in South Africa in 2010. - AFP
Morocco had already said it planned to bid for the 2030 World Cup, which has been held in Africa once, in South Africa in 2010. - AFP

King Mohammed VI of Morocco announced on Tuesday that his country had joined the bid by Spain and Portugal to host the centenary World Cup in 2030.

King Mohammed made the announcement in a message delivered as he was named the winner of the African Football Confederation 2022 Award of Excellence in Kigali, where world governing body FIFA is holding its annual congress.

Spain and Portugal declared their joint candidacy in 2021.

In 2002 Japan and South Korea shared the competition. In 2026, the finals will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada, when 11 of the 16 planned venues will be in the US.

The 2026 World Cup will expand from 32 teams to 48 and, under the format FIFA announced on Tuesday, will stretch to 104 matches, up from 64 in Qatar last year.

Morocco was the other candidate for 2026 but finished a distant second in the voting.

That was the fifth time Morocco had bid to host the finals after trying for 1994, 1998, 2006 and 2010 World Cups.

Morocco had already said it planned to bid for the 2030 World Cup, which has been held in Africa once, in South Africa in 2010.

"This candidature will be a gathering of the best on both sides, and the demonstration of an alliance of genius, creativity, experience and means," said King Mohammed in his message, read by the Moroccan Minister of Sports Chakib Benmoussa.

At the last World Cup, in December in Qatar, Morocco became the first nation from either Africa or the Arab world to reach the semi-finals.



Liverpool Braced for Premier League Title Party

Liverpool Braced for Premier League Title Party
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Liverpool Braced for Premier League Title Party

Liverpool Braced for Premier League Title Party

Liverpool have one hand on the Premier League trophy as they seek the solitary point they need against struggling Tottenham on Sunday that would guarantee a record-equaling 20th English title.

A draw at an expectant Anfield would take Arne Slot's men 13 points clear of Arsenal with just four games remaining, meaning they could not be caught.

Below them, Chelsea and Newcastle have the chance to press their case for Champions League qualification with Manchester City, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa all involved in the FA Cup semi-finals.

At the bottom of the table, Ipswich's fate could be sealed.

AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of this weekend's action:

Liverpool on the brink

It is tough to see struggling Tottenham delaying Liverpool's title party at Anfield.

After Arsenal's home draw against Crystal Palace in midweek, Arne Slot's men just need a draw to seal the deal and pull level with bitter rivals Manchester United on 20 English titles.

Out-of-form Tottenham are 16th in the league table and have a miserable record at Anfield -- not winning there since 2011.

Liverpool won the reverse fixture this season 6-3 and were 4-1 winners on aggregate in their two-legged League Cup semi-final.

Captain Virgil van Dijk said it had been an "outstanding season" but that there was still work to do after Liverpool's 1-0 at Leicester last week.

"Now we have the chance to finish it off on the weekend against a very good Tottenham Hotspur, in my opinion," he said. "We played three times already against them this season and every game was very intense.

"To be in this position now, it's a good position but we're not there yet. We all have to realize that and we will. We'll make sure of that. It's a good week of preparation and then we have to be ready."

Champions League shootout

Just four points separate third-placed Manchester City from Aston Villa in seventh in the race for Champions League spots next season.

For the first time the Premier League's top five will all qualify for Europe's top club competition, due to strong performances in continental competition.

Liverpool are already guaranteed a spot and Arsenal, 10 points clear of Chelsea in sixth, are practically there, leaving three places open.

City stole a march this week in the mini-league with a last-gasp win against Villa after Nottingham Forest, now fourth, beat Tottenham on Monday.

Villa play Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday, with Forest taking on City the following day at Wembley.

It means Newcastle, who could have Eddie Howe back on the touchline after a bout of pneumonia, would leapfrog City if they beat lowly Ipswich.

Chelsea badly need to beat Everton at home with a tough run of games to come against Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester United and Forest.

Southampton playing for pride, Ipswich on brink

Southampton's 1-1 draw at West Ham last week meant they drew level with Derby's record-low points tally of 11 from the 2007/08 season, with five games to go to better the Rams' total.

But it will be of limited comfort after a miserable season for Saints, who were relegated earlier this month.

Leicester are already down and Ipswich appear certain to follow them barring a miracle -- a draw for West Ham at Brighton on Saturday would seal their fate.

It would be the second successive season in which all three promoted clubs had been relegated straight back to the Championship.

Prior to the 2023/24 campaign, this had last occurred in 1997/98.

All the evidence points to a worrying and widening chasm between English football's top two tiers as the season nears its end.

Fixtures

Saturday (1400 GMT unless stated)

Chelsea v Everton (1130), Brighton v West Ham, Newcastle v Ipswich, Southampton v Fulham, Wolves v Leicester

Sunday

Bournemouth v Manchester United (1300), Liverpool v Tottenham (1530)