“The Spain-Portugal-Morocco bid is the only candidate”, FIFA says, confirming that Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina will get an opening match each.
The 2030 men’s FIFA World Cup is set to be spread across six countries on three continents, world football’s governing body has said.
In Europe, Spain and Portugal, will be the main co-hosts, along with Morocco in North Africa, as first revealed by Sky News.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a statement: “In 2030, we will have a unique global footprint, three continents – Africa, Europe and South America – six countries – Argentina, Morocco, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain and Uruguay – welcoming and uniting the world while celebrating together the beautiful game, the centenary and the FIFA World Cup.”
Earlier, the FIFA council, which has been discussing a plan to combine rival bids, said the Spain-Portugal-Morocco bid “is the only candidate”, confirming “three South American countries will host games.”
Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina will get an opening match each to mark 100 years since the first World Cup took place in Uruguay and was won by the hosts.
Argentina were runners-up in the tournament, while Paraguay is recognised as the traditional home of CONMEBOL.
The first game of the tournament will take place in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo, the city which hosted the first World Cup finals match 93 years ago.
Matches in Argentina and Paraguay will follow, before the rest of the 48-team tournament moves to North Africa and Europe.
The proposal, backed by UEFA, the Confederation of African Football and South American confederation CONMEBOL, was accepted by the FIFA council at a meeting on Wednesday.
It now needs to be approved by FIFA’s congress.
The scandal surrounding the conduct of former Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales at the final of the Women’s World Cup has not prevented Spain being lined up to host its second finals, after it staged its first alone in 1982.
Rubiales remains the subject of ongoing FIFA disciplinary proceedings.