Morocco have joined Spain and Portugal in their bid to host the 2030 World Cup.
Ukraine were originally part of the bid but now appear to have been replaced.
Morocco declared it would bid for the 2030 World Cup in July 2018, after five previous unsuccessful attempts to host the tournament — 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010 and 2026. If successful in 2030, it would be the first country to host World Cup matches in North Africa.
The Spain, Portugal and Ukraine bid was backed by UEFA, European football’s governing body, and announced in October, more than seven months after Russia invaded Ukraine.
The move was sanctioned by Ukraine president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and the Portuguese Football Association said at the time the bid “aims to contribute through the power of football to the recovery of a country undergoing reconstruction”.
The war against Russia is, however, still ongoing, with a new wave of missile strikes this week, causing devastation across the country.
The likelihood of Ukraine recovering to host World Cup group-stage matches in seven years’ time feels increasingly slim.
There is also uncertainty at the top of the Ukrainian FA, after president Andriy Pavelko was arrested in November over fraud and money-laundering allegations. Pavelko has denied any wrongdoing.
The proximity between Spain and Morocco makes the partnership more practical as only eight miles separates the two countries at the nearest point. There are 1,000 miles between Ukraine and Spain while Portugal is even further.
The Moroccan FA is also a member of CAF (Confederation of African Football) and a joint European-African bid is seen as a potential vote winner.
The 2030 hosts will be selected at the 74th FIFA congress in 2024.
A Portugal-Spain-Morocco bid is likely to face competition from two more group bids: Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Greece, as well as a joint South American proposal involving Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile.
The 2026 finals, featuring 48 teams instead of the 32 in Qatar, will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.