2030 FIFA World Cup Hosts Revealed Ahead of Schedule
In an early announcement, FIFA has awarded the hosting rights for the 2030 World Cup to a joint bid from Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, a year ahead of schedule. Additionally, FIFA revealed that Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay will host three matches to commemorate the tournament’s centenary.
This joint bid from Morocco, Portugal, and Spain was the only candidate vying to host the 2030 World Cup, making it the unanimous choice of the FIFA Council.
The inaugural World Cup in 1930 took place in Uruguay and was won by the host nation, who defeated Argentina in the final in Montevideo.
“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,” FIFA said in a statement.
“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 decision to host the World Cup across six countries spanning different hemispheres may result in some teams playing their group matches in different seasons, much like the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which was rescheduled to November and December to avoid the extreme heat of the Gulf summer.
Argentina, the defending champions, expressed excitement about hosting the first match of the 2030 group stage at home, expressing the unifying power of football in a divided world, as stated by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
While Portugal and Morocco have never hosted a World Cup, Spain last hosted the tournament in 1982. Pedro Rocha, President of the Management Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, expressed enthusiasm about bringing the World Cup back to Spain, a country that clinched victory in the 2010 World Cup.
“I am sure that together with Morocco and Portugal we will organise the best World Cup in history,” Rocha stated.
Portugal, having previously hosted the European Championship in 2004, finally succeeded in the World Cup bidding process after previous unsuccessful attempts to secure hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 editions alongside Spain.
Fernando Gomes, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation stated, “Each of our countries brings a vibrant footballing tradition, unrivalled organisational experience and a capacity for innovation that will undoubtedly leave its mark on the future of the competition.”
