2030 FIFA World Cup to be held in 6 countries across 3 continents

FIFA and global football leaders have agreed to a six-country, three-continent 2030 World Cup to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the tournament in Uruguay. Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will host kickoff matches, with Morocco the first North African nation to host the event. Saudi Arabia is the primary candidate for the 2034 edition, but fan group Football Supporters Europe has expressed displeasure with the great lengths of travel required in 2030. The 104-match tournament will run in June and July.

The FIFA World Cup will be very different when the 2030 edition rolls around.

FIFA and global football leaders reached agreement Wednesday to accept one bidder that grew from Spain-Portugal to include Morocco, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay in a tournament that is set to be played on three continents in six countries.

Among the key considerations was finding a way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the World Cup in Uruguay, where the inaugural tourney final was held in 1930.

Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay are targeted to host kickoff matches to begin the 2030 World Cup, with a specific aim to play in Montevideo, capital of Uruguay and home of the 1930 Cup final.

"The centennial World Cup could not be far from South America, where everything began," said Alejandro Dominguez, the president of South American soccer body CONMEBOL. "The 2030 World Cup will be played in three continents."

FIFA will allow all six of those countries' national teams to receive automatic entries, and Morocco will be the first North Africa nation to host the event.

The 2030 decision has sped up the process of finding a home for the 2034 World Cup, which is to be held in Asia or Oceania, likely in November and December. Saudi Arabia now becomes the primary candidate for the 2034 edition.