Spanish coalition partner urges review of 2030 World Cup tie with Morocco after migration surge

In the wake of a mass crossing of migrants into Ceuta that left over 80 dead and thousands detained, Sumar - the left-wing junior partner in Spain’s coalition - introduced a parliamentary motion urging a review of the country’s role in the 2030 World Cup partnership with Morocco and Portugal. Although Sumar controls only 26 of the 350 seats, it occupies ministerial posts in Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s administration, giving its appeal some weight.

The motion, which is not binding, seeks to persuade Spain’s sports authorities to reconsider the joint hosting arrangement, citing human-rights concerns. Sánchez has praised Moroccan officials for swiftly repatriating most of the roughly 72,000 arrivals, yet critics, including the defence minister, have pressed for a detailed Moroccan response to the crisis, which was amplified by social-media calls to cross the border.

Nahuel González, a co-author of the motion, claimed the Moroccan monarchy uses migration as a political tool, while Portugal’s left-wing party Livre sent a letter to Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and the national football federation urging a reassessment. The broader tournament will also involve Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Portugal alongside Spain and Morocco.