FIFA Announces Joint Hosting of 2030 World Cup by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain

In a historic decision, the international football governing body FIFA has unveiled that the 2030 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. This announcement also includes a significant centennial celebration, with the first three matches of the tournament taking place in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay to commemorate the tournament's 100-year anniversary.

This groundbreaking decision, disclosed on Wednesday, paves the way for the World Cup to span across six different countries on three different continents. Spain, Portugal, and Morocco are set to collaborate in hosting the 2030 edition of the men's tournament, while three South American nations - Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay - will host the opening matches, paying tribute to the tournament's rich history. The city of Montevideo in Uruguay, which hosted the inaugural World Cup finals match in 1930, is poised to host the tournament's opening match seven years from now, with additional matches to be held in Argentina and Paraguay.

FIFA conveyed its unanimous decision, stating, "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. 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."

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has officially expressed its intention to bid for the privilege of hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup, as reported by the state news agency SPA on Wednesday. In a statement from the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, the bid is described as one that, "intends to deliver a world-class tournament and will draw inspiration from Saudi Arabia’s ongoing social and economic transformation and the country’s deep-rooted passion for football."

FIFA also clarified that bids for the 2034 World Cup will be limited to countries within Asia and Oceania, in light of the decision to award the 2026 tournament to Canada, Mexico, and the United States—a historic event that will include men's teams from 48 different countries for the first time. Among the potential contenders, Australia, which jointly hosted the recent women's World Cup with New Zealand, stands as another likely candidate.

Morocco's selection as a co-host makes it the second African nation to host a World Cup, following South Africa's successful hosting of the 2010 edition. Notably, Argentina previously hosted the tournament in 1978, while Spain had the honor of hosting in 1982. Portugal and Paraguay will join Morocco in hosting World Cup matches for the first time, although all three countries have previously organized continental championships.