Morocco, Spain, and Portugal have successfully secured the hosting rights for the 2030 World Cup, a momentous occasion as it coincides with the tournament’s centenary.
FIFA has chosen to kick off the World Cup with the opening three matches taking place in South America, with Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay selected as the host nations for this historic launch.
Notably, all six nations involved in the bid—Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina—will earn automatic qualification for the tournament, making it the first World Cup to span three continents.
Following the initial matches, the tournament will then progress to Morocco, Spain, and Portugal for the remainder of the competition, while the Opening Ceremony will still be held in one of these three host countries.
This decision grants Morocco the distinction of becoming the first North African nation to host World Cup matches. Originally, Morocco had planned a solo bid but later formed an alliance with Spain and Portugal in March.
Furthermore, this marks Portugal’s maiden opportunity to host the World Cup after previous unsuccessful bids in 2018 and 2022.
The groundbreaking aspect of this World Cup lies in its multi-nation hosting format, an unprecedented approach for the tournament.
The 2026 World Cup, hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, had already set a precedent with three host nations.
With this innovative hosting format, FIFA is paving the way for future bids, and there is hope for potential bids for the 2034 tournament from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).
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