World Cup Sets Countries For Its 2030 Centennial Matches, First To Span Three Continents

Bruce Haring
·1 min read

The 2030 men’s football World Cup will be held in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with one match each taking place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, FIFA announced on Wednesday.

Uruguay will also hold a centenary ceremony in Montevideo, where the first World Cup took place in 1930.

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The event will be the first World Cup to span three continents, with games in Africa, Europe and South America.

Saudi Arabia, which is believed to have heavily lobbied for 2030 hosting, will now push for the 2034 tournament. FIFA announced Wednesday that the Asian and Oceanian continental federations will now be invited to bid for the 2034 tournament. The Saudis wasted no time to indicate they will bid on that gathering.

“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,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Spain, Portugal, and Morocco will host the bulk of the tournament, and those countries will all qualify automatically for the tournament.

“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,” Infantino said.

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