The 2030 FIFA World Cup will be staged across six countries, with opening matches in South America before the competition moves to its main hosts in Europe and Africa.
The unique format will allow FIFA to celebrate the tournament’s 100th anniversary with centenary matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
Here is what to know about the next tournament:
When is the next FIFA World Cup?
The next FIFA World Cup will be held in 2030.
According to FIFA’s proposed schedule, centenary matches will take place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay on June 8 and 9, followed by the opening matches in Morocco, Portugal and Spain on June 13 and 14.
The World Cup final is expected to be played on July 21, although FIFA has not yet confirmed the full match schedule.
Where will the 2030 World Cup be held?
Spain, Portugal and Morocco will host the majority of the tournament. To mark the competition’s 100th anniversary, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will each stage one opening-round match before the remaining fixtures move to the three main host nations.
According to FIFA, Uruguay will host a match in recognition of staging the inaugural World Cup in 1930, while Argentina’s game will acknowledge its role as runner-up in that tournament. Paraguay will also host a game as the home of CONMEBOL, the only continental football confederation in existence at the time.
The tournament will become the first men’s World Cup to be held across six countries and three continents.
Which countries have already qualified?
Six countries have already secured their places at the 2030 FIFA World Cup through automatic qualification as hosts. They are Spain, Portugal and Morocco, the tournament’s three main cohosts, as well as Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
The remaining 42 places will be decided through FIFA’s continental qualifying tournaments over the coming years.
What do we know about the schedule?
The teams taking part in the three matches in South America will be given additional time to travel, rest and prepare before their next group games.
After the centenary fixtures on June 8 and 9, the main opening ceremony and first matches in Morocco, Portugal and Spain are expected to take place on June 13 and 14.
The remaining teams in the groups containing Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay would begin their campaigns on June 15 and 16. The second round of matches in those groups is scheduled for June 21 and 22.
FIFA has yet to release the complete calendar.
Could the tournament expand to 64 teams?
The 2030 FIFA World Cup is currently set to feature 48 teams, the same format that debuted at the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
However, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said the governing body will examine a proposal to expand the tournament to 64 teams.
Speaking to Swiss media outlet Bluewin, Infantino described the 48-team format as a “huge success”, saying it had given more countries the opportunity to compete at the highest level and helped grow the game globally.
He pointed to the performances of smaller football nations at the 2026 World Cup, arguing that broader participation benefits the sport. Asked whether the tournament could eventually expand to 64 teams, Infantino said the proposal “will be examined and discussed”.
What else do we know about the history of the FIFA World Cup?
The FIFA World Cup was created after the success of the men’s football tournaments at the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games, both won by Uruguay. At the time, football at the Olympics was organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), leading FIFA to create its own tournament for national teams.
According to FIFA, the 1924 Olympic final in Paris drew a crowd of nearly 50,000 as Uruguay beat Switzerland 3-0 to win the gold medal. Four years later, Uruguay defended its title by defeating Argentina 2-1, helping convince FIFA that a standalone World Cup could succeed.
In May 1928, FIFA approved plans for the inaugural World Cup and selected Uruguay as the host. The country had won the previous two Olympic titles and was celebrating the centenary of its independence in 1930.
The first World Cup took place in July 1930, with 13 teams competing. Several European nations travelled to Uruguay by ship, and the hosts defeated Argentina 4-2 in the final at Montevideo’s Estadio Centenario to become the first men’s world champions.
The tournament has expanded significantly since then, growing from 13 teams in 1930 to 32 in 1998 and 48 in 2026. The 2030 edition will mark 100 years since the inaugural World Cup and become the first men’s tournament to be played across six countries and three continents
What comes after the 2030 World Cup?
The next men’s FIFA World Cup will be held in 2034 and hosted by Saudi Arabia.
FIFA confirmed Saudi Arabia as the host in December 2024 after it became the only country to submit a bid.
Unlike the 2030 games, which will be played across six countries and three continents, the 2034 World Cup will be staged by a single host nation. FIFA has yet to announce the tournament dates or match schedule.
[ Peace News Desk ]