The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) had initially planned to reveal the host nations for the 2030 World Cup in December. However, the suspense was unexpectedly cut short on Wednesday, October 4. In a historic first, the prestigious tournament will span three continents—Europe, Africa, and South America. Morocco, Spain, and Portugal will serve as the primary hosts, while the opening rounds will include three matches in South America.
This groundbreaking decision emerged during a virtual meeting between the presidents of the Moroccan, Spanish, and Portuguese football federations—Fouzi Lekjaa, Pedro Rocha Junco, and Fernando Soares Gomes da Silva, respectively. The meeting was originally meant to discuss their joint bid for the 2030 World Cup, but it took a surprising turn when South America made an unexpected announcement.
Alejandro Dominguez, president of CONMEBOL (South American Football Confederation), declared that three first-round matches would be held in South America. Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay had submitted a joint proposal to commemorate the centennial of the World Cup, as the inaugural tournament took place in Uruguay in 1930. Shortly after, the Argentine Football Federation confirmed their participation, and FIFA officially endorsed the plan.
In recognition of the World Cup’s 100th anniversary, a special ceremony will be held in Montevideo, Uruguay. Additionally, Argentina and Paraguay will each host one first-round match. According to a Moroccan insider, the federations of Spain, Portugal, and Morocco had been informed of the development beforehand, which led them to defer to South America’s announcement.
A Historic Triumph for Morocco
Despite the excitement in South America, the biggest winners were the trio of Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, who secured hosting rights for 101 out of the 104 final-phase matches. This marked a triumphant moment for Morocco, which had made five previous unsuccessful bids to host the tournament on its own (in 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010, and 2026).
In March 2023, during the FIFA Congress in Rwanda, Morocco joined forces with Spain and Portugal in their quest to host the 2030 World Cup. This collaboration quickly gained the backing of both the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The idea of a joint Spain-Portugal-Morocco bid had been floated as early as 2019, though it was met with resistance by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who was initially opposed to the idea of a tournament spanning multiple continents.
Spain and Portugal had also briefly considered involving Ukraine in their bid in 2022 as a show of solidarity following Russia’s invasion, but that plan did not advance beyond a public declaration of support. Eventually, the Spanish and Portuguese football associations turned to Morocco, setting the stage for a tri-continental bid. These discussions took place at the highest levels of government in late 2022, as any World Cup bid requires the official endorsement of the respective governments. King Mohammed VI of Morocco swiftly approved the initiative.
Diplomatic Collaboration Paves the Way
The success of the joint bid was greatly aided by improved relations between Spain and Morocco. After a period of diplomatic tension from June 2021 to April 2022, during which relations between the two nations broke down, ties have since been restored and strengthened. The countries now cooperate closely on key issues such as trade, counterterrorism, illegal immigration, and the Western Sahara conflict, with Spain aligning more closely with Morocco’s stance on the latter. Recent visits by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to Morocco, where he met with his Moroccan counterpart Aziz Akhannouch, played a crucial role in advancing the tripartite bid.
A Strong Case for Hosting
Geography, political stability, and top-tier infrastructure were central to the decision to award hosting rights to Morocco, Spain, and Portugal. The three nations, which are geographically close and boast robust political systems, were seen as safe and reliable choices. Furthermore, their world-class facilities—including FIFA-approved stadiums, advanced training centers, extensive lodging options, and well-developed transportation networks—met FIFA’s stringent requirements.
The combination of solid infrastructure and favorable political conditions solidified Morocco, Spain, and Portugal’s candidacy, ensuring that the 2030 World Cup will be a truly global celebration of football.
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