Spain, Portugal and Morocco will co-host the 2030 men’s Fifa World Cup – but only after Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay have staged the opening three games.
Fifa has handed the South American trio the right to host the first three matches of the tournament to celebrate the centenary of the first World Cup, held in 1930 by Uruguay, who beat Argentina in the final. Paraguay is home of the South American federation Conmebol, which organised the tournament.
The rest of the competition will be played in the main host nations of Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium is expected to stage the opening ceremony and the World Cup final.
All six host nations will qualify automatically, leaving 42 further spots.
The news was announced on social media by the Conmebol president Alejandro Dominguez, who is also a vice-president of Fifa and Fifa Council member. The Paraguayan had led South America’s bid to stage the entirety of the 2030 World Cup.
“We aimed high and dreamed big,” Dominguez tweeted. “The 2030 centenary World Cup starts where it all began. The host of the opening matches of the centenary World Cup will be Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina.”
Morocco will finally become the first North African nation to host the World Cup, after failing with bids to stage previous editions in 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010 and 2026.
Portugal will also host for the first time, having failed in joint bids with Spain to hold the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, which went to Russia and Qatar respectively. Spain hosted the 1982 World Cup, which was won by Italy at the Bernabeu.
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