Spain, Portugal, and Morocco will host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, with South American nations Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina also getting a taste of the grand event. It will be the first time that the tournament will be held across six nations and three continents.
Why Will FIFA World Cup 2030 Be Held Across Six Nations?
The 2030 FIFA World Cup will mark the prestigious tournament’s 100th anniversary. So, it is hardly a surprise seeing FIFA pull all the stops to turn the grand event into an unforgettable extravaganza.
Initially, South American nations tabled a bid to host the 2030 edition of the World Cup, 100 years after Uruguay hosted and won the inaugural edition of the tournament. FIFA ultimately went with Spain, Portugal, and Morocco’s joint bid but not without acknowledging the South American appeal.
As confirmed by FIFA, the first three matches of the 2030 FIFA World Cup will be held in Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina. Uruguay and Argentina were the finalists of the 1930 FIFA World Cup while the headquarters of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) is based in Paraguay, leading to their selection. After the first three matches, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina, alongside their opponents for those matches, will travel to Spain, Portugal, and Morocco for the remainder of the competition.
Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina will all automatically qualify for the 2030 FIFA World Cup as hosts.
Where Will The Opening Ceremony Be Held?
The opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup is always held just before the first match of the tournament. However, this will not be the case in the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
According to FIFA, the first match of the 2030 FIFA World Cup will be held at the iconic Estadio Centenario in Uruguay, the stadium that hosted the 1930 World Cup final between Uruguay and Argentina. However, the opening ceremony will still be held in Spain, Portugal, or Morocco.
Spain To Host Second World Cup, Morocco & Portugal Their First
Spain, the only host country to have won the FIFA World Cup, is also the only nation with prior hosting experience. La Roja, who won the World Cup in 2010, hosted the 1982 edition of the tournament. Morocco will be the first North African country to host the World Cup, having been unsuccessful in its five previous bids (1994, 1998, 2006, 2010, and 2026) to bring the tournament to the region. Portugal hosted the European Championship in 2004 but accommodating a tournament of such scale would definitely be a new challenge. The country bid for the 2018 and 2022 editions of the tournament as well but was denied by FIFA.
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