Fifa has confirmed that the 2030 World Cup will be held across six countries on three continents, with Spain, Portugal, and Morocco as co-hosts. The opening matches will occur in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, marking the tournament's centenary. The decision is set to be ratified at a Fifa congress next year. Only bids from countries from the Asian Football Confederation and the Oceania Football Confederation will be considered for the 2034 finals. Saudi Arabia announced its bid for the first time in 2034.
The deadline for prospective hosts to submit confirmations of interest is 31 October. Critics have accused Fifa of engaging in a "cycle of destruction against the greatest tournament on Earth." However, Fifa president Gianni Infantino stated that the Fifa Council unanimously agreed to celebrate the centenary of the Fifa World Cup most appropriately.
Montevideo in Uruguay will stage the opening game in 2030, followed by matches in Argentina and Paraguay. The rest of the 48-team tournament will move to North Africa and Europe, allowing World Cup teams to play in two different seasons at the same game. If approved, Morocco would become the second African nation to host a World Cup after South Africa in 2010.
Spain has been named joint-host weeks after former football federation chief Luis Rubiales resigned following criticism for kissing Jenni Hermoso at the Women's World Cup. Spain last hosted the World Cup in 1982, with Italy winning the tournament for the third time. Portugal has never hosted the tournament, but Euro 2004 was held there.
Fifa has decided to host the 2024 World Cup across multiple continents after making false statements about the reduced environmental impact of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The governing body claimed the tournament would be the first "fully carbon-neutral World Cup" but could not prove the claims were accurate. Environmentalists called Fifa's carbon-neutral claim "dangerous and misleading" and warned that the tournament could have had a carbon footprint three times greater than stated.
Freddie Daley, a researcher for Global Economy Policy at the University of Sussex, is concerned about Fifa's decision to expand the World Cup across three continents after its false promises of reducing carbon footprint. Frank Huisingh, founder of Fossil Free Football, a group aiming to stop using fossil fuels in the sport, said the move was "outrageous but also not surprising." Katie Cross, CEO and founder of Pledgeball, a fan charity which campaigns for greater sustainability in football, said the move was "completely disregard for fans as fans and fans as humans."
Saudi Arabia's decision to bid for the 2034 World Cup aligns with its initiative to become a global leader in sports after hosting several events in the country since 2018 involving football, Formula 1, golf, and boxing. However, the Gulf kingdom has been accused of investing in sport and using high-profile events to improve its international reputation, known as sportswashing.
Fifa announced Russia will be readmitted to its under-17 competitions for the first time since the country's invasion of Ukraine 19 months ago. Uefa's decision last week to allow Russian sides to compete at the U17 level in European competitions after they were suspended when the invasion began in February 2022 will be conditional on teams playing as the "Football Union of Russia" rather than Russia, without the country's flag or anthem, and wearing a neutral kit.
The English Football Association criticised Uefa's decision, saying it did not support it and that England teams won't play against Russia. However, Uefa said boys and girls should not be punished for the actions of adults, adding that "Football should never give up sending messages of peace and hope."
