2030 fifa world cup

Three South American nations, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, will each host a single opening match on home soil as part of the unique arrangement. They will then join the rest of the field for the balance of the tournament, which will be held in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.

The six nations had first banded together geographically in separate bids for the hosting rights to the 100th anniversary World Cup, a month-long soccer extravaganza that attracts fans from all over the world and brings in billions of cash for FIFA every four years.

However, the three-nation proposal from Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, which was formally proclaimed the lone bidder for 2030 on Wednesday, has long been deemed superior than the offer from the South American countries. To commemorate the tournament’s centennial, a new arrangement will allow each country to host the event once.

FIFA released a statement after the meeting that said, “In 2030, the FIFA World Cup will unite three continents and six countries, inviting the entire world to join in the celebration of the beautiful game, the centenary, and the FIFA World Cup itself.”

The FIFA Council unanimously decided that Morocco, Portugal, and Spain’s joint bid would be the only one eligible to host the tournament in 2030 and automatically qualify.

FIFA severely reduced the number of countries that were eligible to submit bids for the 2034 event by splitting the 2030 tournament across three continents. That made it possible for Saudi Arabia, a country that has made no secret of its desire to host, to be awarded the privileges when the host for next year is chosen.

The first World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930. It was a small, 13-team tournament that lasted for two and a half weeks in only one location, the nation’s capital, Montevideo. Since then, it has developed into one of the most lucrative and popular athletic events in the world. According to FIFA’s projections, it will generate record earnings of at least $11 billion for its current four-year cycle, which is about double what it did in the previous one.

The next World Cup, in 2026, will include the most teams ever with 48, making it the biggest tournament in history. The complexity and magnitude of the World Cup have progressively increased in recent decades. Few countries are now able to host the tournament alone because to its magnitude and FIFA’s strict criteria for bidding countries and stadia.

The tournament will be contested in three nations for the first time in 2026, with the majority of the action taking place in the United States. Games will also be held in Mexico and Canada. The difficulties of conducting that event have not yet been resolved, and authorities are still battling a variety of difficulties, such as taxes and spectator visa-free travel.

Alejandro Dominguez, a FIFA vice president and the head of South American soccer, posted a video of himself dancing on social media during the meeting, hinting in Spanish that “something global is coming for all football fans.” This sparked rumors that FIFA was planning a surprise announcement.

Dominguez then announced the information before FIFA could do so in a post on X, the website that replaced Twitter.

In Spanish, Dominguez wrote, “We believed in big.” “Where it all started, the 2030 Centennial World Cup begins.”

By touring all six nations, FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino may avoid making some tough political decisions and may be able to award the next tournament to a dependable ally. Only countries from Asia and Oceania were allowed to submit bids in 2034, according to FIFA’s statement revealing the intentions for 2030. This gave Saudi Arabia, one of his closest allies, the chance to win a tournament and a prominent spot on the international arena.

The powerful Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, expressed his country’s interest in hosting in 2034 in a statement that was published by the Saudi press agency within an hour of FIFA’s announcement. The president of the Asian soccer confederation also voiced his support for the initiative, saying that “the entire Asian football family will stand united in support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s momentous initiative.”

FIFA said that the 2034 World Cup bidding process will be concluded by a vote at a gathering of its 211 member states the following year, accelerating a process that had been scheduled to end in 2027 or 2028. The shorter time frame gives other countries contemplating bidding for the event less time to develop comprehensive arrangements.

Infantino, who was elected president of FIFA in 2016, will now have the opportunity to influence at least two more World Cups, including the one in 2034, which would occur after his stated last term in office has expired.

His legacy already includes significant modifications to the World Cup, including the addition of 48 teams, which changed the competition’s structure and paved the potential for more than two nations to co-host. Infantino had hoped to have the World Cup every two years, but that plan was abandoned due to vehement resistance from leading clubs and soccer fans in Europe as well as from European soccer administrators.

On Wednesday, fan organizations quickly voiced their opposition to the multicontinent 2030 World Cup proposals.

One umbrella organization known as Football Supporters Europe stated on X, “FIFA continues its cycle of destruction against the greatest tournament on earth.” “Horrific for backers, disregards the environment, and extends the red carpet to a host for 2034 with a disgraceful history of human rights. The World Cup as we know it has ended.

The 1930 final was held in the Estadio Centenario in Uruguay, and the 2030 championship will now be out with an opening ceremony there as well as at the stadiums in Buenos Aires and Asunción, Paraguay.

To participate in the remainder of the tournament, the three countries would have to fly to Spain, Portugal, or Morocco alongside their opponents.