FIFA Men's World Cup is Going Global in 2030

Spain, Portugal, and Morocco will host the 2030 FIFA Men’s World Cup, with opening games played in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.

In 2030, the FIFA Men’s World Cup is going global, with plans approved to stage tournament matches in six countries across three continents, the governing body announced Wednesday.

In addition to approving the long-favored joint bid of Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, the latter of which was added to the mix this year, FIFA will celebrate the Men’s World Cup’s 100th anniversary by opening in Uruguay, with Argentina and Paraguay added into the mix as well. The trio of South American countries had launched a rival joint bid, which will be honored as Uruguay’s capital city, Montevideo, will host the opening match a century after it held the first-ever World Cup match.

• Morocco 🇲🇦, Portugal 🇵🇹 and Spain 🇪🇸 bid is the sole candidate to host 2030 @FIFAWorldCup.

• Centenary celebration and celebratory games to take place in Uruguay 🇺🇾, Argentina 🇦🇷 and Paraguay 🇵🇾.

• Member associations from AFC and OFC invited to bid for the 2034 edition. pic.twitter.com/vr2zXTn44m
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) October 4, 2023

Ratification of this unprecedented 2030 plan will likely be formally approved next year by a member meeting that appears to be a formality at this point.

“In 2030, we will have a unique global footprint, three continents (Africa, Europe, and South America) and 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,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a statement.

The multi-country approach will be tested in North America in 2026 when the United States, Mexico, and Canada host the event. The only previous men’s World Cup hosted by more than one country was in 2002 when Japan and South Korea shared the honor.

The bidding for the 2034 World Cup will be open to bids exclusively from Asia and Oceania, with Australia and Saudi Arabia among the interested nations to host.