FIFA announce World Cup 2030 will be played in SIX different countries across three continents

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World Cup 2030 will be played all across the globe in a format never seen before

France's players lift the Fifa World Cup trophy after the Russia 2018 World Cup final football match between France and Croatia at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on July 15, 2018. - France won the World Cup for the second time in their history after beating Croatia 4-2 in the final in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)

FIFA has announced that World Cup 2030 will be played in six separate countries across three different continents, as part of a major switch-up for the 48-nation tournament.

In order to mark the 100-year anniversary of the World Cup, Uruguay will stage the opening match of the 2030 tournament before games are then played in Argentina and Paraguay. 

Uruguay's capital, Montevideo, hosted the 1930 edition as La Celeste won the inaugural tournament, with Argentina runners-up and Paraguay the traditional home of CONMEBOL, the South American football confederation. 

Argentina's players celebrate as Lionel Messi holds aloft the World Cup after victory over France at Qatar 2022.

Argentina are the current holders of the World Cup (Image credit: Getty Images)

World Cup 2030 will then move away from South America and head to the co-hosts in Europe and north Africa: Spain, Portugal and Morocco. 

The FIFA council approved the proposal from UEFA, AFC and CONMEBOL on Wednesday, with FIFA's congress set to formally approve the hosting arrangement next year.

"In a divided world, FIFA and football are uniting," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said.

"The FIFA Council, representing the entire world of football, unanimously agreed to celebrate the centenary of the FIFA World Cup, whose first edition was played in Uruguay in 1930, in the most appropriate way. As a result, a celebration will take place in South America and three South American countries - Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay - will organise one match each of the FIFA World Cup 2030.

: FIFA president Gianni Infantino during the 2023 U.S. Open Cup Final between the Houston Dynamo FC and Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium on September 27, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo by Roy Miller/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)

Infantino explained the plans for World Cup 2030 (Image credit: Getty Images)

"The first of these three matches will of course be played at the stadium where it all began, in Montevideo's mythical Estádio Centenário, precisely to celebrate the centenary edition of the FIFA World Cup.

"The FIFA Council also agreed unanimously that the only bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2030 will be the joint bid of Morocco, Portugal and Spain," he added. "Two continents - Africa and Europe - united not only in a celebration of football but also in providing unique social and cultural cohesion. What a great message of peace, tolerance and inclusion."

All six nations are expected to automatically qualify for the 2030 World Cup, with each country playing their opening games on home soil. 

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Ryan Dabbs
Ryan Dabbs
Staff writer

Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.