The world football ruling body, FIFA has named revealed that 2030 World Cup will be held across three continents, Africa, Europe and South America.
FiFA in a surprise announcement on Wednesday named Morocco, Spain and Portugal hosts of the 2030 soccer World Cup, while Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will host the opening matches to mark the tournament’s centenary.
According to the football body, Morocco, Portugal and Spain was the sole candidate to host the tournament.
The inaugural World Cup in 1930 was held in Uruguay and won by the hosts after they defeated Argentina in the final in Montevideo.
In a bid to mark a centenary of global football, FIFA seeks to have the first opening match played at the stadium where it all began in 1930 at Uruguay’s Estádio Centenário.
The statement partly reads, “In 2030, the FIFA World Cup will unite three continents and six countries, inviting the entire world to join in the celebration of the beautiful game, the Centenary and the FIFA World Cup itself
“The FIFA Council unanimously agreed that the sole candidacy will be the combined bid of Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, which will host the event in 2030 and qualify automatically from the existing slot allocation subject to the completion of a successful bidding process conducted by FIFA and a decision by the FIFA Congress in 2024,” FIFA said in a statement.
“Additionally, having taken into account the historical context of the first-ever FIFA World Cup, the FIFA Council further unanimously agreed to host a unique centenary celebration ceremony in the country’s capital, Montevideo… as well as three World Cup matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay respectively.”
While Portugal and Morocco have never hosted the World Cup, Spain last hosted the tournament in 1982.
Pedro Rocha, President of the Management Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, said they were excited to bring it back to the country, who won the World Cup in 2010.
“I am sure that together with Morocco and Portugal we will organise the best World Cup in history,” he said.
Portugal, who hosted the European Championship in 2004, have finally succeeded in the World Cup bidding process after failing to secure hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 editions along with Spain.
Fernando Gomes, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, said: “Each of our countries brings a vibrant footballing tradition, unrivalled organisational experience and a capacity for innovation that will undoubtedly leave its mark on the future of the competition.”
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI welcomed FIFA’s decision. The African nation stunned the world in Qatar last year when they became the first team from the continent to reach the semi-finals.
“His Majesty King Mohammed VI… has the great pleasure of announcing to the Moroccan people that the FIFA Council has unanimously selected the Morocco-Spain-Portugal bid as the sole candidate to organise the 2030 football World Cup,” Morocco’s Royal Office said in a statement.
Morocco will be the second African country to host the World Cup after South Africa in 2010.
