The 2030 Men’s Soccer World Cup is set to make history with a unique format that spans six countries on three continents, allowing the tournament to celebrate its 100th anniversary in Uruguay. This marks the first time the World Cup will be hosted on multiple continents.
AGREEMENT
FIFA reached an agreement among soccer’s continental leaders to accept the bid spearheaded by co-hosts Spain, Portugal, and Morocco as the sole candidate for hosting rights. The agreement also includes staging games in South American countries Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. These three nations had previously promoted a rival co-hosting bid but will now each host one match at the start of the tournament. This arrangement enables FIFA to hold the opening game at the historic Centenario Stadium in Montevideo, Uruguay, where the inaugural 1930 World Cup final took place.
2034 WORLD CUP
The consensus reached by the continental soccer bodies has also paved the way for FIFA to open bidding for the 2034 World Cup. However, only member federations from Asia and Oceania will be eligible to bid for the hosting rights.
UNITING IN FOOTBALL
FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed the significance of this decision, stating, “In a divided world, FIFA and football are uniting.” He emphasized that the 2030 World Cup will celebrate the centenary of the tournament, which had its first edition in Uruguay in 1930. The unique format of the tournament will span three continents – Africa, Europe, and South America – with six countries – Argentina, Morocco, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain, and Uruguay – coming together to celebrate the beautiful game and the World Cup’s centenary.
Looking ahead to the 2034 World Cup, Saudi Arabia has expressed its interest, and Australia is also considering bidding after successfully co-hosting the Women’s World Cup in 2022 with New Zealand. Regardless of the host, the 2034 tournament is expected to take place in November and December, similar to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, coinciding with the heart of the European club soccer season.
