According to FIFA, the 2030 World Cup will take place in six nations across three continents.
The co-hosts have been announced as Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with the first three games taking place in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.
Due to the fact that the first World Cup was held in Montevideo 100 years ago, the opening matches in South America will commemorate that milestone.
The decision will be approved in a FIFA congress the following year.
Only proposals from nations in the Asian Football Confederation and the Oceania Football Confederation will be taken into consideration for the 2034 finals, FIFA further stated.
Following the choice, Saudi Arabia declared it would make its first attempt to host the competition in 2034.
Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, stated of the 2030 competition, “In a divided world, FIFA and football are uniting.”
“The FIFA Council, speaking for the entire footballing community, unanimously decided to commemorate the inaugural FIFA World Cup, which was held in Uruguay in 1930, in the most fitting manner.
“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.”
The first World Cup game was played in Uruguay’s capital city of Montevideo in 1930. In 2030, matches will be played in Argentina and Paraguay.
The remaining 48 teams will subsequently compete in Europe and North Africa.
Morocco will only be the second country in Africa to host a World Cup if the 2030 plan is granted, following South Africa in 2010.
Following criticism for kissing Jenni Hermoso at the Women’s World Cup, former head of the football federation Luis Rubiales’ resignation, Spain has been nominated as co-host.
A Spanish judge issued a restraining order against Rubiales when he appeared in court, despite the fact that he denied sexually abusing Hermoso.
The previous time Spain hosted the World Cup, Italy won the competition for the third time.
The first time Portugal has hosted the competition was during Euro 2004.
Like in previous World Cups, co-host qualification for Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco is automatic.
For the first time since its invasion of Ukraine 19 months ago, Russia will be re-admitted to Fifa’s under-17 events, the organization also said.
The action comes after UEFA’s decision last week to reinstate Russian teams that had been suspended when the invasion started in February 2022 to compete in U17-level European events.
The decision, according to FIFA, is contingent upon teams playing as the “Football Union of Russia” rather than Russia, without the national anthem or flag, and with neutral uniforms.
The English Football Association criticized UEFA’s decision, stating that “our position remains that England teams won’t play against Russia” and that it “did not support” the decision.
However, UEFA said that children shouldn’t suffer the consequences of adult behavior, adding in a statement that “football should never stop sending messages of peace and hope.”
