World Cup 2030: Three Continents, Six Nations, and a Century of Soccer

A novel concept for the 2030 men’s soccer World Cup is planned, with matches taking place in six nations across three continents. This will allow Uruguay to host the tournament’s 100th anniversary celebrations. The 2030 World Cup will take place in Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, however, the tournament’s opening three games will be held in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.

The decision to give Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay the opening games was made in honor of the tournament’s 100th anniversary, FIFA announced on Wednesday. A South American bid had been made to host the entire competition to commemorate the inaugural World Cup’s start.

The co-hosting nations of Spain, Portugal, and Morocco led a bid that FIFA agreed to accept as the sole applicant for the hosting rights on Wednesday. The deal also calls for holding matches in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay in South America, which had previously supported a competing co-hosting candidacy.

These three nations will each host one game to open the competition, allowing FIFA to hold the first match in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, where the first World Cup final was played in 1930 at the Centenario Stadium.

It will be the first World Cup to be staged on three different continents and all six countries will automatically qualify for the competition.

The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) was established in Paraguay, but Uruguay hosted and won the inaugural World Cup in 1930, defeating Argentina in the final. At the time of the 1930 competition, CONMEBOL was the only confederation in existence.

Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, and their three opponents will fly to Morocco, Spain, and Portugal for the remaining three games of the competition after the first three fixtures.

The tournament’s first match will take place at Uruguay’s Estadio Centenario, which was built specifically for the 1930 competition and served as the site of the championship game, according to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

It will still be either Morocco, Portugal, or Spain that hosts the opening ceremony.

Morocco will host the World Cup for the first time in 2030 after submitting five unsuccessful bids to host the World Cup in 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010, and 2026. Additionally, it will be the first nation in North Africa to host World Cup games.

Before teaming forces with Spain and Portugal in March, Morocco had previously planned to make a solo candidacy.

Along with Spain, which hosted the 1982 World Cup, Portugal will also be hosting for the first time. Both countries had unsuccessful bids to host the World Cups in 2018 and 2022. When Portugal hosted Euro 2004, they lost in the championship game.

The news was “truly transcendental” for Spanish sports, according to a government statement.

With the opportunity to host a few group stage games, Ukraine had joined Spain and Portugal in their campaign in October of last year, but their preparation for a major event had been questioned due to the ongoing conflict with Russia.

The only other World Cup with more than two host nations is the 2026 competition, which will take place in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. This will be the first time a World Cup has been played across six different nations.

The bid was initially a joint effort between Spain and Portugal before earlier this year adding Morocco, a country in northern Africa.

According to FIFA, all six host countries will receive automatic participation in the 48-team competition. The World Cup will be held on many continents for the first time.

“The centennial World Cup could not be far from South America, where everything began,” said Alejandro Dominguez, the president of South American soccer body CONMEBOL. “The 2030 World Cup will be played in three continents.”

With only member federations from Asia and Oceania eligible to apply for the hosting rights, FIFA was able to begin bidding for the 2034 World Cup thanks to the agreement struck by the continental soccer bodies.

After successfully hosting the Women’s World Cup this year alongside New Zealand, Australia also expressed interest in the competition, which Saudi Arabia entered right afterward. In either case, the 2034 competition will very probably take place in November and December, similar to the World Cup that was held in Qatar the previous year, right in the middle of the European club soccer season.

It will be largely regarded as a success for Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has developed close ties to FIFA president Gianni Infantino over the previous six years because the selection of a 2034 host has been accelerated to the end of next year.

In a government statement announcing its plan to bid, Yasser Al Misehal, the president of the Saudi Soccer Association and a member of the FIFA Council, said, “We want to celebrate our football culture and share our country with the world.”

The 211-member federation’s annual conference must still formally approve the FIFA Council’s adoption of a unified 2030 candidacy. That ought to be merely a formality. FIFA said that a separate congress will select the 2034 team.

“In 2030, we will have a unique global footprint, three continents – Africa, Europe, and South America – six countries – Argentina, Morocco, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain, and Uruguay – welcoming and uniting the world while celebrating together the beautiful game, the centenary and the FIFA World Cup,” Infantino said in a statement.

The 48-team competition, dubbed the “Centenary Celebration Matches” by FIFA, will kick off in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay before moving to the core host countries of Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.

A record amount of travel across time zones and distances is required by the plan, including 13-hour flights from Buenos Aires to Madrid.

Football Supporters Europe, the organization of soccer supporters recognized by UEFA, did not like it.

“FIFA continues its cycle of destruction against the greatest tournament on earth,” FSE stated in a statement. “Horrendous for supporters, disregards the environment, and rolls out the red carpet out to a host for 2034 with an appalling human rights record.”

The Asian Football Confederation’s president, Bahraini royal Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, made it clear on Wednesday which country he preferred between Saudi Arabia and Australia.

Sheikh Salman said in a statement from the AFC that “the entire Asian football family will stand united in support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s momentous initiative,” adding that the group was dedicated to working for victory. When Qatar won the 2010 election to host the event, Australia was a losing candidate.

Since the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the South American co-host bid has gained popularity and formerly included Chile, though this was not addressed on Wednesday.

Additionally, Ukraine was removed despite being included in the European bid a year prior at a press conference held in Switzerland at the UEFA headquarters. Official remarks on the UEFA-backed bid this year, however, have not addressed Ukraine.

The United States, Canada, and Mexico will host the inaugural men’s World Cup with 48 teams in 2026.

Morocco, which has made significant infrastructure investments in its largest cities and was picked last week to host the 2025 African Cup of Nations, wins with the 2030 decision. By defeating Spain and Portugal in the earlier rounds of the World Cup in Qatar, the men’s national team contributed to the advancement of their argument. After South Africa in 2010, it will be the second African country to host the competition.

The Royal Cabinet of Moroccan King Mohammed VI said in a statement on Wednesday that the choice “recognized Morocco’s choice place in the ranks of great nations.”

The 2030 deal was reached six weeks after the former head of the Spanish soccer federation embarrassed the world with his actions during the Women’s World Cup final.

The World Cup bid for Spain to host the event could be derailed if Rubiales stays in power, according to Pedro Sánchez, the prime minister of Spain.

Sánchez said in Spanish on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter: “We will show the strength of our country as champions of the men’s and women’s world titles, and we will defend the values of equality, solidarity, and fair play that should always be present in sports.”

Argentina, Spain, and Uruguay have held the World Cup in the past: 1982 in Spain, 1978 in Argentina, and 1930 in Uruguay. The first-time hosts are going to be Portugal, Morocco, and Paraguay.

FIFA will look to accept bids from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) for the 2034 competition. The Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) will host in 2026, and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), CONMBEOL, and UEFA will in 2030, by its rotation policy.

Saudi Arabia announced later on Wednesday that it would submit a proposal to host the 2034 World Cup for men.

The 25th edition will feature a “world-class tournament,” according to the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), which stated their bid would be motivated by the nation’s “deep-rooted passion for football.”

Since the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the South American co-host bid has gained popularity and formerly included Chile, though this was not addressed on Wednesday.

Additionally, Ukraine was removed despite being included in the European bid a year prior at a press conference held in Switzerland at the UEFA headquarters. However, Ukraine was not brought up in formal remarks this year on the UEFA-backed candidacy.

The United States, Canada, and Mexico will host the inaugural men’s World Cup with 48 teams in 2026.

Morocco, which has made significant infrastructure investments in its largest cities and was picked last week to host the 2025 African Cup of Nations, wins with the 2030 decision. By defeating Spain and Portugal in the earlier rounds of the World Cup in Qatar, the men’s national team contributed to the advancement of their argument.