The 2030 Men’s Soccer World Cup is poised to be a truly unique celebration of the tournament’s 100th anniversary, featuring matches across six countries spanning three continents. FIFA has recently brokered an agreement among soccer’s continental leaders to accept the bid presented by co-hosts Spain, Portugal, and Morocco as the sole candidate to host the tournament.
Additionally, this agreement includes plans to hold matches in South American countries Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, which had previously put forward a competing co-hosting bid.
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The 2030 Men’s Soccer World Cup is set to mark its 100th anniversary with a unique format spanning six countries on three continents. FIFA has reached an agreement among soccer’s continental leaders to accept the bid presented by co-hosts Spain, Portugal, and Morocco as the sole candidate to host the tournament. In addition, the agreement includes plans to hold matches in South American countries Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. This format allows the opening game to take place in Montevideo, Uruguay’s capital, where the Centenario Stadium hosted the inaugural 1930 World Cup final.
Originally initiated as a joint venture between Spain and Portugal, the bid expanded to include Morocco, located in northern Africa, earlier this year. All six host nations will have automatic entry to the 48-team tournament, marking the first time the World Cup will be played on more than one continent.
Alejandro Dominguez, the president of South American soccer body CONMEBOL, expressed, “The centennial World Cup could not be far from South America, where everything began. The 2030 World Cup will be played in three continents.”
This consensus among continental soccer bodies has also paved the way for FIFA to open bidding for the 2034 World Cup. However, only member federations from Asia and Oceania are eligible to bid for the hosting rights. Saudi Arabia has swiftly entered the contest, and Australia has also expressed interest after successfully co-hosting this year’s Women’s World Cup with New Zealand. The 2034 tournament will likely be played in November and December, similar to last year’s World Cup in Qatar, coinciding with the heart of the European club soccer season.
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The expedited selection of a host for the 2034 World Cup is seen as a significant victory for Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has established close ties with FIFA president Gianni Infantino over the past six years.
“We are eager to celebrate our football culture and showcase our country to the world,” said Yasser Al Misehal, president of the Saudi soccer federation and a member of the FIFA Council, in a government statement announcing the bid.
While the FIFA Council’s acceptance of the unified 2030 candidacy still requires formal approval at a meeting of the 211 member federations next year, it is expected to be a mere formality. The selection of the host for the 2034 World Cup will take place at a separate FIFA congress.
“In 2030, we will have a unique global presence, spanning three continents – Africa, Europe, and South America – and involving six countries – Argentina, Morocco, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain, and Uruguay. Together, we will welcome the world to celebrate the beautiful game, the centenary, and the FIFA World Cup,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino in a statement.
The 48-team tournament, scheduled for June-July 2030, is set to commence in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, with FIFA branding these matches as the “Centenary Celebration Matches.” The action will then shift to the core host nations of Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.
The proposed plan entails an unprecedented amount of travel, covering vast distances and time zones, including 13-hour flights from Buenos Aires to Madrid. This approach did not sit well with Football Supporters Europe, the fan group officially recognized by European soccer body UEFA, which criticized FIFA for its disregard of the environment and the inconvenience it poses to supporters.
Furthermore, concerns have been raised about the human rights record of the country that will host the 2034 World Cup. Saudi Arabia and Australia are both members of the Asian Football Confederation, and while the AFC’s president, Bahraini royal Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, expressed support for Saudi Arabia’s bid, Australia has previously lost a hosting bid when Qatar was awarded the World Cup in 2010.
The co-hosting plan for the 2030 men’s soccer World Cup is set to feature games in six countries on three continents, making it a unique celebration of the tournament’s 100th anniversary, which originated in Uruguay in 1930. FIFA reached an agreement among soccer’s continental leaders to accept a bid led by co-hosts Spain, Portugal, and Morocco as the sole candidate for hosting rights. The plan also includes games in South American countries Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, which had previously promoted a rival co-hosting bid.
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Each of these three countries will host one match to start the tournament, allowing FIFA to stage the opening game in Montevideo, Uruguay’s capital, where the Centenario Stadium hosted the inaugural 1930 World Cup final. The bid initially began as a joint venture between Spain and Portugal before expanding to include Morocco earlier this year. All six host nations will receive automatic entry to the 48-team tournament, marking the first time the World Cup will be played on more than one continent.
The selection of the host for the 2034 World Cup will be opened up to bidding, with only member federations from Asia and Oceania eligible to bid for hosting rights. Saudi Arabia has already entered the contest, and Australia is also interested, having co-hosted the Women’s World Cup this year with New Zealand.
This decision to accelerate the choice of the 2034 host to the end of next year is seen as a victory for Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has developed close ties with FIFA President Gianni Infantino over the past six years.
Saudi Arabia’s bid for the 2030 World Cup is part of a larger effort to showcase the country and its culture to the world. The FIFA Council‘s acceptance of the unified 2030 candidacy still requires formal approval at a meeting of the 211 member federations next year, but it is expected to be a mere formality. The 2034 host will be selected at a separate FIFA congress.
