FIFA 2030 World Cup: Morocco, Spain, and Portugal Announced as Joint Hosts

the international football body FIFA has announced that the 2030 World Cup will have a unique multi-country host arrangement. Morocco, Portugal, and Spain have been selected as the host nations, while Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay will have the privilege of hosting the first three matches to commemorate the tournament’s 100-year anniversary.

Unanimous FIFA Council Decision

FIFA made the announcement on Wednesday, emphasizing the unanimous agreement within the FIFA Council. According to FIFA’s official statement, “The FIFA Council unanimously agreed that the sole candidacy will be the combined bid of Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, which will host the event in 2030 and qualify automatically from the existing slot allocation.”

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FIFA Council takes key decisions on FIFA World Cup™ editions in 2030 and 2034: Morocco, Portugal and Spain joint bid is the sole candidate to host FIFA World Cup 2030™
➡️https://t.co/cKJec1tIE4 pic.twitter.com/mwLRerCIlg

— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) October 4, 2023

Centenary Celebration in Montevideo

To pay tribute to the historic context of the first-ever FIFA World Cup, the FIFA Council has unanimously decided to host a unique centenary celebration ceremony in the capital of Uruguay, Montevideo. Furthermore, the council has approved the staging of three World Cup matches in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, respectively.

Saudi Arabia’s Intentions for 2034 World Cup

In response to FIFA’s decision, Saudi Arabia has expressed its intention to bid for the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The Saudi Arabian football federation released a statement, saying that their bid “intends to deliver a world-class tournament and will draw inspiration from Saudi Arabia’s ongoing social and economic transformation and the country’s deep-rooted passion for football.”

2034 World Cup Limited to Asia and Oceania

FIFA has specified that bids for the 2034 World Cup will be restricted to Asia and Oceania due to the 2030 tournament allocation and the 2026 World Cup being hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, featuring 48 different men’s teams.

Potential Contenders: Saudi Arabia and Australia

Apart from Saudi Arabia, Australia is another likely contender for the 2034 World Cup bid. Australia had jointly hosted the most recent women’s World Cup with New Zealand.

A Tribute to South America – Where it All Began

The decision to host the centennial World Cup in multiple countries aims to pay homage to the inaugural World Cup, hosted and won by Uruguay in 1930. Alejandro Dominguez, the president of South American football organization CONMEBOL, expressed his satisfaction with the decision, stating, “The centennial World Cup could not be far from South America, where everything began.”

Host Nations with Football Heritage

Morocco, as the second African country to host a World Cup, follows in the footsteps of South Africa, which hosted the tournament in 2010. Argentina and Spain, both experienced in hosting major football events, hosted the 1978 and 1982 World Cup editions, respectively. Portugal and Paraguay, like Morocco, will be hosting World Cup games for the first time, although they have previously hosted continental championships.

Tournament Details

The 2030 World Cup is scheduled to take place in June and July, featuring a total of 104 matches. This decision comes after the most recent Men’s World Cup hosted by Qatar in 2022, where Argentina emerged victorious in a thrilling final against France. Additionally, the most recent Women’s World Cup was hosted by Australia and New Zealand in July and August, with Spain clinching the title by defeating England in the final.

List of past Men’s FIFA World Cup host countries and their respective years