2030 FIFA World Cup: Morocco, Spain and Portugal named hosts; Opening games in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay

On Wednesday FIFA announced that Morocco, Spain and Portugal are set to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, with the three opening games to take place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to celebrate the centenary of the most influential soccer tournament in the world. 

The first ever World Cup took place in 1930 in Uruguay, with the host team  winning the competition, beating Argentina in the final at the Estadio del Centenario in Montevideo. 

FIFA announced that the Morocco, Portugal and Spain joint bid is now the sole candidate for the 2030 edition of the World Cup and are set to host the tournament. While the 2026 World Cup will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, FIFA have also “agreed that in line with the principle of confederation rotation and of securing the best possible hosting conditions for the tournaments, the bidding processes for both the 2030 and 2034 editions be conducted concurrently, with FIFA member associations from the territories of the AFC and the OFC invited to bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2034.”

FIFA announced on Wednesday: “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 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, where the first ever FIFA World Cup took place, in 2030, as well as three World Cup matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay respectively.”

“In a divided world, FIFA and football are uniting,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “The FIFA Council, representing the entire world of football, 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. The first of these three matches will of course be played at the stadium where it all began, in Montevideo’s mythical Estádio Centenário, precisely to celebrate the centenary edition of the FIFA World Cup.

“The FIFA Council also agreed unanimously that the only bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2030 will be the joint bid of Morocco, Portugal and Spain.”

“Two continents – Africa and Europe – united not only in a celebration of football but also in providing unique social and cultural cohesion. What a great message of peace, tolerance and inclusion. “In 2030, 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,” Infantino said.