By Andrew Warshaw in Moscow
June 11 – The two sides in the bid to stage the 2026 World Cup upped the ante today as they made final presentations to all but one of FIFA’s six individual regional groupings – and not without considerable controversy.
After several exhaustive months, leaders of North American and Moroccan bids spent the day criss-crossing downtown Moscow as they sought to pick up potentially crucial support in the final 48 hours of lobbying before Wednesday’s all-important vote.
Only UEFA were missing from the pitch but will host the candidates Tuesday morning.
That will be a crucial session for the Moroccans who badly need support from outside their own confederation to stand a chance of upsetting the odds. Hence their anger at being barred from addressing Conmebol delegates at Moscow’s Crown Plaza hotel where Africa were also convening.
As tension mounts ahead of Wednesday’s ballot, Insideworldfootball understands that the Moroccans are planning to officially complain to FIFA about Conmebol breaking bidding rules by only inviting the North Americans to make a final presentation to its delegates.
Whether it will have any impact remains to be seen especially as the Conmebol gathering was not a fully-blown regional congress and South America has already pledged its support for the joint US-Canada-Mexico bid.
Africa’s continental session was overshadowed by the 90-day suspension imposed by FIFA’s ethics body last week on FIFA Council member and Ghana FA chief Kwesi Nyanteki who has now thrown in the towel himself by resigning all his positions, including first vice-president of CAF – the second most important role in African football – following the explosive bribery claims made against him.
CAF president Ahmad Ahmad announced that a special election meeting will be held September 30 for the various positions vacated by the disgraced Nyanteki to be filled but was more than a little defensive when asked about the blow to Africa’s reputation.
“Why does everyone always focus on Africa,’ he responded to a reporter’s question about the scandal. “Things like this happen everywhere.”
Despite the Nyanteki scandal, Ghana will still be allowed to vote on the 2026 hosts, a timely boost for Morocco when they most need it. However, as of today Ghana were nowhere to be seen at CAF’s Moscow base amid suggestions they will not take their place at congress after the national federation was dissolved by the government.
Ahmad is fighting a losing battle in terms of Africa voting as a block for Morocco with at least three federations almost certainly to back United 2026. “I think this is an obligation that would benefit our family,” he told delegates after hearing from both bidders. “But of course it is an individual decision.”
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