Morocco, Spain, and Portugal will host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. The soccer’s world governing body announced the news on Wednesday while also revealing plans for “centenary celebration and celebratory games” in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.
This unique format allows FIFA to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the World Cup in Uruguay, the country that hosted the first-ever World Cup. It also means all six host nations will receive a guaranteed spot in the tournament.
Morocco initially planned to launch its own bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup but ended up joining the bid of Spain and Portugal. This bid ended up being the sole candidate to host the tournament.
However, FIFA wanted to find a way to incorporate South American nations in celebrating the important milestone for the World Cup. The decision was made to have Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay play their opening games at the tournament on their home soil. They will then join the rest of the field.
The opening game of the tournament will be played in Montevideo, Uruguay, where the 1930 World Cup finals between Uruguay and Argentina was played. Uruguay ended up becoming the first World Cup champion with a 4-2 win.
“The centennial World Cup could not be far from South America, where everything began,” said Alejandro Dominguez, the president of South American soccer body CONMEBOL in a statement. “The 2030 World Cup will be played in three continents.”
FIFA also announced that the bidding process for the 2034 World Cup is open. Only bids from Africa and Asia will be considered.
