World Cup 2026: Morocco confirms it will bid to host tournament

South Africa hosted the World Cup in 2010

The Moroccan Football Federation has announced it will bid to host the 2026 World Cup.

Fifa received an expression of interest in bidding to host the tournament from the African country by Friday's deadline of 11 August.

The United States, Canada and Mexico had already announced in April that they intend to put forward a joint bid.

The World Cup has only been hosted once in Africa - in South Africa in 2010 - and this will be Morocco's fifth bid.

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) gave its backing to a Moroccan bid in July.

A total of 48 teams, rather than the current 32, will compete at an expanded tournament in 2026 after changes announced by Fifa earlier this year.

The decision on who will host event will be made on the eve of the opening match of the 2018 World Cup in Moscow.

Fifa's rotational hosting policy means Africa is one of four confederations that can bid to host the 2026 finals as Europe (Russia 2018) and Asia (Qatar 2022) cannot be considered.