The 2030 FIFA World Cup will be hosted in six countries across three continents.

 

FIFA and world football officials agreed Wednesday to accept a single offer that extended from Spain-Portugal to include Morocco, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay in a tournament that would take place on three continents and in six nations.

Among the most important concerns was how to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the World Cup in Uruguay, where the initial tournament final was staged in 1930.

Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay are vying to host the first matches of the 2030 World Cup, with a special goal of playing in Montevideo, Uruguay's capital and site of the 1930 Cup final.

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

Paraguay’s Soccer Association President Robert Harrison, left, FIFA delegate Ignacio Alonso, center, Conmebol President Alejandro Dominguez, third from left, and Conmebol Vice President Claudio Tapia hold the World Cup trophy in Luque, Paraguay, on October 4, 2023. | Photo Credit: AP

FIFA will allow all six of those countries' national teams to receive automatic entries, and Morocco will be the first North Africa nation to host the event. The 2030 decision has sped up the process of finding a home for the 2034 World Cup, which is to be held in Asia or Oceania, likely in November and December. Saudi Arabia now becomes the primary candidate for the 2034 edition. The 2030 FIFA agreement still must meet formal approval in 2024 during a meeting of the 211 member federations.

"In 2030," according to a statement issued by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, "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."

The current World Cup field of 32 teams will be reduced to 48 for the 2026 edition, which will be contested in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Football Supporters Europe, a fan organisation legally recognized by the Union of European Football Associations, voiced its discontent with the long distances necessary in 2030 and feels this will help Saudi Arabia's 2034 candidacy.

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

The 104-match 2030 tournament will take place in June and July.