MOROCCO will get the chance to fight for the right to host the 2026 World Cup.
In a significant defeat for Fifa President Gianni Infantino, Morocco’s candidacy was approved by the world governing body’s evaluation task force.
The North Africans have accused Infantino of actively backing the three-nation “United bid” from the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Fifa stands to bank an extra £225m from US and Mexican broadcasters if the United bid wins, under contracts drawn up under Infantino’s reign.
Morocco had suggested Infantino was running an unofficial dirty tricks campaign to keep them off the ballot when the vote is taken by the Congress of Fifa’s 211 member associations in Moscow on June 13.
The bidders were assessed and marked out of five on proposed stadiums, team facilities, accommodation, transport infrastructure, IT and fan concerns, as well as costs and potential revenues.
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Any bid which did not average a score of two would not have been passed fit to enter the final voting stage and Morocco claimed the goalposts had been shifted – at Infantino’s behest – in an attempt to eliminate them.
The US-led bid has long been considered the favourite but Morocco believe they have significant support from Europe and most of Africa, two continents who together supply 109 member nations.
All four of the bidding nations are not allowed to vote while Morocco are demanding that four US territories – Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the US Virgin Islands – should also be denied a vote, which would mean 102 votes delivering a winning majority.
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