In a groundbreaking development, the 2030 FIFA World Cup is set to take place across Europe, Africa, and South America, marking a historic centenary celebration in Uruguay, where the inaugural World Cup took place in 1930. FIFA, the governing body of world football, announced the achievement of a significant agreement among the leaders of football’s continental governing bodies on Wednesday.
This remarkable consensus resulted in the selection of a single candidate to host the prestigious 2030 tournament, initially led by Spain and Portugal but later expanded to include Morocco. The surprise addition of South American powerhouses Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay further solidified the bid.
A pivotal attraction of this unprecedented three-continent endeavor is the commencement of the World Cup festivities in Montevideo, Uruguay’s capital, where the iconic Centenario Stadium witnessed the inaugural final match in 1930. Alejandro Dominguez, President of the South American football governing body CONMEBOL, emphasized the historical significance, stating, “The centennial World Cup could not be far from South America, where everything began. The 2030 World Cup will be played in three continents.”
In addition to this monumental decision, FIFA also accelerated the process for the bidding contest of the 2034 World Cup, which will be exclusively open to member federations from Asia and Oceania. Saudi Arabia and Australia have expressed their interest in hosting the 2034 edition, with Australia having recently co-hosted the Women’s World Cup successfully alongside New Zealand.
While the FIFA Council’s approval of the unified 2030 candidacy is pending formal endorsement at the annual meeting of the 211 member federations next year, it is widely anticipated to proceed smoothly.
The eagerly awaited 48-team, 104-game tournament, scheduled for June-July 2030, will kick off with matches in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay before transitioning to the core host nations of Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.
The South American co-host bid has been in the spotlight since the 2018 World Cup in Russia and originally included Chile, which was notably omitted from the recent announcement. Additionally, Ukraine was incorporated into the European bid a year ago during a press conference held at UEFA headquarters in Switzerland, although it has not been prominently mentioned in official communications regarding the UEFA-backed bid this year.
The 2030 World Cup promises to be an unprecedented global celebration of football, commemorating 100 years of this beloved sport. It follows the hosting of the first 48-team men’s World Cup in 2026, which was jointly organized by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
