FIFA officially confirmed today that Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, while the 2030 edition will be co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. This announcement came during a virtual FIFA Congress, where both bids were unanimously approved.
The 2030 World Cup will be a historic milestone, marking the centenary edition of the tournament. To commemorate 100 years of the FIFA World Cup, matches will also be hosted in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, the nations that participated in the inaugural tournament in 1930. The first match of the centenary World Cup will be held at the iconic Estadio Centenario in Uruguay, where the first-ever World Cup match took place.
FIFA’s decision to approve both bids was made during a virtual voting session in which member nations showed their approval by clapping their hands in front of cameras. The 2030 edition will see Morocco, Portugal, and Spain work together as co-hosts, while the 2034 World Cup will be Saudi Arabia’s first time hosting the prestigious tournament.
The bid for the 2034 World Cup was uncontested, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the sole bidder after FIFA combined the 2030 and 2034 selection process into a single vote. Saudi Arabia’s bid received high praise, scoring 4.2 out of 5 from FIFA’s bid evaluation team.
This marks a significant moment in Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in the global sports arena. As the 2034 World Cup will be the first to feature an expanded 48-team format, it will be the first time the tournament is hosted in a single country since the competition’s expansion.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed his congratulations to the host nations for both tournaments, bringing the Congress to a close with the historic announcement. The decision sets the stage for exciting and historic World Cups in the years to come.
