The joint bid file submitted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal to FIFA, and published on FIFA's official website, decisively affirmed the Sahara's affiliation with Moroccan territory. The file included maps that clearly depicted the southern provinces as part of Morocco, without any reservations, and emphasized Moroccan sovereignty over the region through additional data.
A review of the full bid file reveals that all published maps designate the Saharan provinces as part of Morocco. Some maps even have "Morocco" written in English across the center, precisely where the dividing line between the Sahara and the rest of Moroccan territory used to be, symbolizing Moroccan sovereignty over the region.
The file, which was submitted jointly with Spain and Portugal, two countries that have expressed advanced political positions regarding support for the autonomy proposal in the Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty, was published by FIFA without reservations on its official website on July 31, 2030, under the name "Spain, Morocco, and Portugal's Bid to Host the 2030 FIFA World Cup."
The bid file highlights Morocco's position as a host country, stating: "Morocco is located at the northwestern tip of Africa and benefits from two coastal fronts extending 3,500 kilometers along the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean." This description emphasizes the stretch of Morocco's Atlantic coastline from Tangier in the north to Lagouira in the south.
The file also stated that Morocco's administrative structure is divided into three levels, consisting of 12 regions, 83 provinces, and prefectures, and 1,503 communes, which also means that the three Saharan regions—Guelmim-Oued Noun, Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra, and Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab, with their communes, prefectures, and provinces—were indicated as belonging to the geography and administrative system of the Kingdom.
The file also addressed Moroccan religious and national holidays, which are considered official holidays, including the anniversary of the recovery of the Oued Ed-Dahab province, celebrated on August 14 of each year, and the anniversary of the Green March, celebrated on November 6 of each year.
It is noteworthy that the final bid file for hosting the 2030 World Cup was officially submitted to FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the city of Zurich, Switzerland, on Tuesday, jointly by Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Fernando Gomes, President of the Portuguese Football Federation, and Álvaro de Miguel, Secretary-General of the Royal Spanish Football Federation.
