FIFA 2030 World Cup World Cup matches will be played on three continents, namely Africa, Europe and South America.
In a surprise announcement on Wednesday, 04 October, a year earlier than planned, FIFA said the 2030 World Cup will be hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal.
The football world governing body also said Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will host the first three matches to mark the tournament’s centenary.
FIFA said the joint bid from Morocco, Portugal and Spain was the sole candidate to host the tournament. Reads the 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 subject to the completion of a successful bidding process conducted by FIFA and a decision by the FIFA Congress in 2024.
Additionally, having taken into account the historical context of the first-ever FIFA World Cup, the FIFA Council further unanimously agreed to host a unique centenary celebration ceremony in the country’s capital, Montevideo… as well as three World Cup matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay respectively.
The inaugural World Cup tournament in 1930 was held in Uruguay and won by the hosts after they defeated Argentina in the final in Montevideo.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said that FIFA and football have the power to unite people in a divided world. He added:
The FIFA Council… unanimously agreed to celebrate the centenary of the FIFA World Cup, whose first edition was played in Uruguay in 1930, in the most appropriate way.
As a result, a celebration will take place in South America and three South American countries – Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay – will organise one match each of the FIFA World Cup 2030.
Infantino said the first of these three matches would be played at Montevideo’s Estadio Centenario, where the first World Cup took place in 1930.
Meanwhile, Morocco will be the second African country to host the World Cup after South Africa in 2010.
Morocco are also set to host the 2025 African Cup of Nations, following the withdrawal of rival bids.
The Atlas Lions made history by becoming the first African and Arab country to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup, in Qatar in 2022.
Meanwhile, England coach Gareth Southgate said that he fears for the sporting integrity after FIFA announced that the 2030 World Cup finals will be played on three continents.
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