London, April 2018 (AltAfrika)-FIFA inspectors arrived in Morocco on Monday ahead of a three-day assessment of the north African country’s ability to host the 2026 World Cup, the local bid committee said.

The five-member FIFA Task Force will begin its inspection on Tuesday, visiting stadiums, training facilities, fan sites and media centres.

“Morocco is offering FIFA and the global football family an innovative and compact concept to ensure operational efficiency, outstanding profitability and a lasting legacy in Morocco and Africa,” said the bid committee’s president, Moulay Hafid Elalamy in a statement.

“The World Cup in Morocco would not only be a source of pride but also a great catalyst for development.”

The only other bid is a joint one from the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Due to FIFA’s intention to spread the hosting rights for the World Cup more evenly across the globe, European and Asian countries were not allowed to bid for 2026 — this year’s World Cup will be in Russia with the next one in 2022 in Qatar.

A decision on the 2026 hosts is due to be made on June 13 at the FIFA Congress, the day before the World Cup begins in Russia.

Should neither candidate be chosen, bidders from Europe and Asia will be invited to submit their proposals.

AFP