FIFA has announced that Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay are already guaranteed participation in the 2030 World Cup, following a virtual Extraordinary Congress in December 2024 where all 211 member associations approved the tournament’s unique multi‑continent hosting plan.
The three European countries will stage the bulk of the competition, with a total of 101 matches allocated among them. Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will each host a single opening‑week match to mark the centenary of the first World Cup, which was held in Uruguay in 1930. Uruguay will also host the official centenary ceremony in Montevideo, while Argentina’s match will honour its runners‑up finish in 1930 and Paraguay was selected because it houses CONMEBOL, the South American football federation.
To manage the expanded geography, FIFA has built additional rest and travel days into the calendar. The celebratory South American fixtures are set for 8–9 June 2030, after which the tournament proper is slated to begin on 13 or 14 June in the three European hosts, culminating with the final on 21 July 2030. The schedule remains within the existing international match window, so no extra release periods are required for clubs or players.
The congress also confirmed Saudi Arabia as the host nation for the 2034 World Cup, concluding the bidding process for both the 2030 and 2034 editions.
Source: www.gistreel.com
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