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At a glance — Morocco is co-hosting the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal: FIFA made it official on December 11, 2024, with three centenary matches in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Six Moroccan cities are in the bid file. You can ride the momentum of football, not FIFA's trademarks: logos, “World Cup,” ticket giveaways and official hashtags are reserved for its partners.
Updated October 25, 2026
2030 seems far away. For a hotel that wants to be found in English and Spanish, a restaurant that wants reviews, a brand that wants a campaign ready to go, it's practically tomorrow. This guide sums up what's confirmed, what FIFA bans for non-partner brands, and what you can prepare right now.
What do we really know about the 2030 World Cup?
| Topic | Where do things stand? |
|---|---|
| Host countries | Morocco, Spain, Portugal, appointed on December 11, 2024 by an extraordinary FIFA Congress |
| Centenary matches | One in Argentina, one in Paraguay, one in Uruguay |
| Proposed Moroccan stadiums | Casablanca (Grand Stade Hassan II), Rabat, Tangier, Fez, Marrakech, Agadir |
| Dates | From mid-June to July 19, 2030, according to the press; match schedule not yet published |
| Venue of the final | Not decided: Casablanca, Madrid and Barcelona are competing |
The host countries and centenary matches come from the FIFA press release. The list of six Moroccan stadiums is the one in the bid file, detailed by Hespress in July 2024. The dates and the race for the final were reported by Le360 in July 2026. In September 2026, FIFA repeated that the venue of the final would be chosen in due course, according to Footeo.
The takeaway: don't build a plan around a specific match in a specific city. Build on what's certain: a summer of football in 2030, with visitors and travel between three countries.
What is ambush marketing, and what's prohibited?
FIFA defines ambush marketing as marketing activities that seek to capitalize on interest in the event by creating a commercial association with it, without its authorization (FIFA). It cites in particular:
- ads and promotions that use the tournament's designations;
- tickets given away or offered as prizes;
- campaigns that allude to the tournament indirectly, through images or text;
- promotional presence around stadiums and handing out branded items to fans.
To our knowledge, the guidelines specific to 2030 haven't been published yet. Those for the 2026 World Cup (FIFA, version 2.0, June 2024) show the logic. Their word marks include “FIFA World Cup,” “World Cup,” “Coupe du Monde de la FIFA,” “COUPE DU MONDE” and “MUNDIAL.” They also reserve for official partners:
- commercial use of the official emblems, mascot, trophy, slogans and typeface;
- official hashtags used by business accounts to attract attention;
- branded countdowns to the tournament, physical or online;
- company names and domain names that include these marks;
- games and contests that create a commercial association with the tournament.
FIFA says it favors information and dialogue, but reserves the right to take legal action in serious cases. This article isn't legal advice: for a specific campaign, have it reviewed by a lawyer.
What can a Moroccan brand do without being an official partner?
A lot. The same guidelines encourage businesses to use generic images and terms related to football or to countries. They generally consider acceptable generic football or national-color decorations in a restaurant, bar or shop, and products bearing generic terms, country names or flags.
| Usually OK | Usually not OK |
|---|---|
| Football decorations, flags, national colors | Official emblem, mascot or trophy in your window |
| “Football night,” “Fan menu” | “Mondial 2030 menu,” “World Cup fan zone” |
| Your own brand hashtag | The tournament's official hashtags on a business account |
| A contest unrelated to the tournament | Match tickets given away or offered as prizes |
| Supporting amateur football in your city | Implying you're an “official supplier” |
Why avoid “Mondial”? Because “MUNDIAL” and “COUPE DU MONDE” are among the marks listed for 2026, and an offer name that close isn't a reasonable bet.
Another category of rights not to forget: those of players, clubs and federations. FIFA's guidelines state that they don't cover these third-party rights. A federation logo, an official jersey or a player's photo in an ad each require their own permissions.
Can you organize an event around the matches?
Yes, carefully. For 2026, FIFA required organizers of authorized public viewings to hold a license issued by FIFA or its broadcasters. Other screenings had to avoid any official intellectual property and any sponsorship creating an association with the tournament (2026 guidelines). The 2030 rules will be published later: check with the broadcaster that will hold the rights in Morocco before selling tickets.
In the meantime, risk-free formats exist: a client evening around football, an inter-company tournament, a conference on sports tourism. Our event agency organizes more than three major events a year and can help you shape them.
Hotels, restaurants, shops: what should you prepare now?
Moroccan tourism didn't wait for 2030. Morocco welcomed 19.8 million tourists in 2025, up 14%, and is targeting 26 million in 2030, according to the Ministry of Tourism as cited by Daba Finance. What to get ready early:
- Get found in other languages. English, Spanish, Portuguese, on top of French and Arabic. Search rankings take time to build: this is an SEO project to start now.
- Recent reviews. Foreign visitors choose based on reviews. Ask every satisfied customer for one, and never buy them.
- Direct booking: website, WhatsApp, card payment. See our guide to marketing for hotels and riads.
- Multilingual customer service on WhatsApp, with ready-made replies.
- Useful content: how to get there, where to park, your hours on match nights.
- Your teams: seasonal hiring, languages spoken, extended hours.
For a restaurant, our guide to restaurant marketing covers reviews, your Google listing and social media.
What timeline should you follow between now and summer 2030?
| Period | Priorities |
|---|---|
| Late 2026 – 2027 | Multilingual website, SEO, Google listing, review collection, up-to-date brand identity |
| 2028 | Multilingual content, first campaigns aimed at your target markets: Spain, Portugal, Moroccans living abroad (MRE) |
| 2029 | Local partnerships, “summer 2030” offers without FIFA marks, ad tests, hiring |
| Spring 2030 | Campaigns, service plan, legal review of every visual |
| June – July 2030 | Execution, reachable customer service, real-time content |
Three announcements to watch: FIFA's 2030 guidelines, the official match schedule and the choice of stadium for the final. Each one can change your local priorities.
Sources
- FIFA — Extraordinary Congress appoints hosts of 2030 and 2034 editions, December 11, 2024.
- Hespress — 2030 World Cup: the stadiums proposed by Morocco, July 31, 2024.
- Le360 — Casablanca or Madrid: who will decide where the 2030 World Cup final is played?, July 24, 2026.
- Footeo — FIFA says nothing has been decided, September 10, 2026.
- FIFA — Brand protection; FIFA World Cup 26 Intellectual Property Guidelines, version 2.0, June 2024.
- Daba Finance via AllAfrica, January 8, 2026: the Ministry of Tourism's 2025 tourism figures.
Get ready for summer 2030 now
Tell us what you sell and to whom. We'll put together a website, SEO, content and events plan for 2030, with no FIFA marks, and a clear quote within 24 hours.
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Frequently asked questions
Which Moroccan cities will host the 2030 World Cup?
The bid file proposes six stadiums in six cities: Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Fez, Marrakech and Agadir, according to Hespress. The allocation of matches and the stadium for the final had not yet been decided as of September 2026.
When will the 2030 World Cup take place?
In June and July 2030. According to Le360, the tournament is set to run from mid-June to July 19, 2030, with three centenary matches in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. The official match schedule hasn't been published yet.
Can a brand use “World Cup 2030” in its advertising?
No, unless it's a FIFA partner. The 2026 World Cup guidelines reserve for partners marks such as “World Cup” and “Mundial,” logos, official hashtags in commercial use and ticket giveaways. Generic football terms, colors and flags are still allowed.
Can a café show World Cup matches?
For 2026, FIFA required a license for authorized public viewings, issued by FIFA or its broadcasters, and prohibited associating its marks or any sponsorship with them. The 2030 rules haven't been published yet: check with the rights-holding broadcaster in Morocco.
What is ambush marketing?
According to FIFA, it means capitalizing on interest in a major event by creating a commercial association with it without the organizer's authorization: tournament designations in an ad, ticket giveaways, indirect allusions, promotional presence around stadiums.