The 2030 World Cup will take place in six different countries on three continents, in a shock celebration of the tournament’s 100th anniversary.
Under the terms of an extraordinary proposal discussed at a FIFA council meeting today, Spain, Portugal and Morocco would be the official World Cup hosts, but the first three matches would take place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, in a nod to the South American roots of the competition. .
The radical move is the result of months of secret talks between UEFA and the South American and African federations, which reached an agreement before submitting the proposal to FIFA. The global governing body is also said to have given their backing in principle to an idea that would spare them a lengthy and costly bidding process, but which must be ratified at next year’s FIFA congress.
Spain, Portugal and Morocco are considered favorites to win the 2030 hosting rights since confirming their joint bid earlier this year, which would have meant heartbreak for fans in South America.
Uruguay and Argentina already announced in 2017 their intention to come together to host the centenary World Cup, a romantic bid as they contested the first final won by the Uruguayan hosts in 1930, a joint venture that Paraguay and Argentina subsequently joined added. Chili.
Morocco, Spain and Portugal will host the 2030 World Cup, while 2022 winners Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay will play the first three matches of the tournament
Morocco, Portugal and Spain are considered favorites to win hosting rights since confirming their joint bid earlier this year
The proposal would see the tournament opener take place in Uruguay, which won the first World Cup in 1930, before matches in South American countries Argentina and Paraguay.
All six host nations would be automatically qualified and the opening ceremony will take place in Spain, Portugal or Morocco – despite the opening matches taking place in South America.
Saudi Arabia also held talks with Greece and Egypt last year about submitting a joint bid, but the oil-rich kingdom has since refocused on winning the 2034 and signaled earlier this year that it would withdraw from the previous race.
Under the proposal presented to FIFA earlier today, the first match of the 2030 tournament would take place in Montevideo to recognize Uruguay’s legacy as the first winner and host of the World Cup, while the second match would take place in Argentina.
The third match would then move to Paraguay to recognize the country’s position as the birthplace of the South American federation CONMEBOL, but Chile would receive no matches.
All other matches would take place in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has backed the proposal as a way to make 2030 the most global World Cup ever.
In a statement, Infantino said: “The FIFA Council, which represents the entire football world, unanimously agreed to celebrate in the most appropriate way the centenary of the FIFA World Cup, the first edition of which was played in Uruguay in 1930 .
‘As a result, there will be a celebration in South America and three South American countries – Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay – will each host one match of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
‘The first of these three matches will of course be played in the stadium where it all started, in the mythical Estádio Centenário in Montevideo, precisely in honor of the centenary edition of the Football World Cup.
“The FIFA Council also unanimously agreed that the only bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup will be the joint bid of Morocco, Portugal and Spain.”
It would mean that 42 of the 48 teams in the tournament would compete to qualify
A 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia almost inevitably increases the prospect of another winter tournament
He added: ‘By 2030 we will have a unique global footprint, three continents – Africa, Europe and South America – six countries – Argentina, Morocco, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain and Uruguay – welcoming and uniting the world as we together the wonderful match, the centenary and the Football World Cup.’
All six host nations would be granted automatic qualification, leaving 42 of the 48 competing teams to qualify, although the South American qualifying campaign would be shortened as only 3 of their six automatic spots would be available, plus a play-off place.
In a somewhat bizarre twist, FIFA has made it clear that as official hosts the opening ceremony must take place in Spain, Portugal or Morocco, despite the first match being scheduled to take place elsewhere.
The 2030 proposal also has significant implications for the 2034 bidding process and appears to make it all but inevitable that the next tournament will take place in Saudi Arabia, raising the prospect of another World Cup in the winter.
With FIFA upholding the principle of confederation rotation, only host nations from Asia and Oceania would be invited to bid for 2034, leaving Saudi Arabia in an untouchable position despite possible interest from Australia and New Zealand.