The 2034 FIFA Men’s World Cup has been awarded to Saudi Arabia, while the 2030 tournament will see Spain, Portugal, and Morocco as co-hosts, the world footballing body, FIFA has announced. In addition, Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay will each host one match to commemorate the centennial of the competition’s inception.
The confirmation of the hosts took place during Wednesday’s Extraordinary FIFA Congress meeting, following a vote. The decision ensures that Spain, Portugal, and Morocco will serve as the primary venues for the 2030 World Cup, with the inclusion of matches in South America to honor the tournament’s historical roots.
The opening three matches of the 2030 World Cup will be held in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay. This decision is part of FIFA’s tribute to the 100th anniversary of the inaugural World Cup, which was hosted by Uruguay in 1930. Uruguay emerged as champions in that first tournament, defeating Argentina in the final.
Paraguay holds significance as the base of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), the oldest continental football governing body, which was the sole federation in existence during the inaugural World Cup. This historical connection highlights the region’s enduring contribution to global football.
Who qualifies for the 2030 World Cup?
The tournament hosts will secure automatic qualification for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, guaranteeing spots for Morocco, Portugal, Spain, as well as Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay. The remaining slots for the tournament will be decided through qualifying competitions within each continental confederation.
Qualification places are distributed across the confederations. While the specific quotas for the 2030 World Cup have yet to be finalized, the allocation for the 2026 World Cup—a 48-team tournament—offers some insight into how the places might be distributed.
- Asian Football Confederation – eight places
- Confederation of African Football – nine places
- Concacaf (North, Central America and Caribbean) – six places
- Conmebol – six places
- Oceania Football Confederation – one place
- Uefa (Europe) – 16 places
The final two spots will be decided through a play-off tournament featuring six teams.
