In a surprising announcement on Wednesday, FIFA revealed that Morocco, Spain, and Portugal have been selected as the hosts for the 2030 soccer World Cup. Additionally, Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay will host the opening matches of the tournament.
FIFA disclosed that the joint bid submitted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain was the sole candidate to host the event, a decision that came earlier than expected as FIFA had initially planned to announce the hosts next year. Notably, the inaugural World Cup in 1930 took place in Uruguay, where the hosts emerged victorious after defeating Argentina in the final match held in Montevideo.
This choice marks a significant moment as it will be the first time the World Cup is spread across three continents and six countries. Such an arrangement may necessitate the scheduling of group matches in different seasons based on the hemisphere.
"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," FIFA said in a statement.
"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."
While Portugal and Morocco have not previously hosted a World Cup, Spain last hosted the tournament in 1982.
Pedro Rocha, President of the Management Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, expressed excitement about bringing the World Cup back to Spain, a country that won the World Cup in 2010. He stated, "I am sure that together with Morocco and Portugal, we will organise the best World Cup in history."
Portugal, which hosted the European Championship in 2004, has finally succeeded in the World Cup bidding process after previously failing to secure hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 editions in collaboration with Spain.
Fernando Gomes, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, said: "Each of our countries brings a vibrant footballing tradition, unrivalled organisational experience and a capacity for innovation that will undoubtedly leave its mark on the future of the competition."
Morocco's King Mohammed VI welcomed FIFA's decision, as the African nation made headlines in Qatar last year by becoming the first African team to reach the semi-finals. Morocco will become the second African country to host the World Cup, following South Africa in 2010.
Furthermore, FIFA announced that the 2034 World Cup will be held in the Asia or Oceania region, inviting member associations from those territories to bid for the tournament. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has already declared its intention to bid for the 2034 edition.
It must be noted that the 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
