FIFA announces 2030 World Cup for Spain, Portugal and Morocco

On 4 October 2023, FIFA announced that the 2030 men's World Cup would be hosted jointly by Spain, Portugal and Morocco. It was the first World Cup to span three continents: Europe and Africa for the main tournament, plus South America.

The announcement also said that three opening matches would be played in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. The gesture marked the tournament's centenary, since Uruguay hosted and won the first World Cup in 1930. The three South American countries were therefore added to the Iberian and Moroccan bid.

The decision followed a bid by Spain, Portugal and Morocco that had no rival for the 2030 slot, after other proposals were set aside and Saudi Arabia was steered towards 2034. FIFA's governing body, the Council, backed the plan, and the full FIFA Congress, its assembly of member federations, formally ratified it in December 2024.

The agreement mattered because it joined a European and an African host for the first time. It also left open the question of where the final and other key matches would be played, which later became a source of friction between the partners.