In a historic decision, Morocco, Spain, and Portugal have been named the hosts of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, while Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay will host the opening matches to mark the tournament’s centenary.
FIFA, the world football governing body, made this announcement on Wednesday, a year earlier than scheduled, citing the joint bid from Morocco, Portugal, and Spain as the sole candidate to host the tournament.
The first-ever World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930 and won by the hosts.
The decision by FIFA marks the first time the World Cup will be staged across three continents and by six countries, making it a truly global event.
The competition’s group matches may have to be held in different seasons based on the hemisphere.
FIFA stated that the hosts will qualify automatically from the existing slot allocation, and the joint bid from Morocco, Portugal, and Spain will host the event in 2030.
Furthermore, taking into account the historical context of the first-ever FIFA World Cup, FIFA has unanimously agreed to host a unique centenary celebration ceremony in Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo.
This means that three World Cup matches will be held in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) expressed their excitement about their team playing the first match of the 2030 group stage at home and with its people.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino also said that “In a divided world, FIFA and football are uniting.”
The FIFA Council unanimously agreed to celebrate the centenary of the FIFA World Cup, and the first of these three matches would be played at Montevideo’s Estadio Centenario, where the first World Cup took place in 1930.
READ ALSO: https://thecrux.org.ng/court-sentences-two-brothers-to-death-for-murder/
Robert Harrison, the president of the Paraguayan Football Association, said Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay would automatically qualify for the World Cup, but he did not clarify what that would mean for the South American qualifiers.
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 the World Cup back to the country, which won the World Cup in 2010.
Fernando Gomes, the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, said that each of the three countries brings a vibrant footballing tradition, unrivalled organizational 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, stating that the African country had stunned the world in Qatar last year when they reached 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 organize the 2030 football World Cup,” Morocco’s Royal Office said in a statement.
In addition, FIFA also announced that the 2034 World Cup would be held in the Asia or Oceania region, with member associations from those territories invited to bid to host the tournament.
This decision marks a significant milestone in the history of the World Cup and is sure to be a memorable event for football fans worldwide.
