World Football Governing Body FIFA has awarded the 2030 World Cup joint hosting rights to Morocco, Spain, and Portugal
To mark the centenary of the inaugural World Cup, the opening three matches of the tournament will take place in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.
The South American bid had originally aimed to host the entire tournament, but FIFA announced on Wednesday that Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay would host the opening games as part of the 100th-anniversary celebrations.
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All six participating nations – Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Morocco, Spain, and Portugal – will automatically qualify for the tournament.
This edition will make history as the first World Cup held across three continents.
Uruguay, the hosts and winners of the inaugural World Cup in 1930, will kick off the tournament with the opening match at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo.
The stadium was purpose-built for the 1930 tournament and also hosted the final.
Following the opening matches, all six teams will travel to Morocco, Spain, and Portugal for the remainder of the tournament.
The Opening Ceremony, however, will still take place in one of these three co-hosting countries.
Morocco’s hosting of the 2030 World Cup will mark its first-ever opportunity to host the tournament, after several unsuccessful bids.
It will also be the first time that World Cup matches are held in North Africa.
Portugal will also be a first-time host, having previously bid for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups alongside Spain.
Spain, the host of the 1982 edition, is set to contribute to this unique co-hosting arrangement.
This decision sets the stage for an extraordinary World Cup celebration in 2030, spanning multiple continents and commemorating a century of football history.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
