The Football World Cup will be played on three continents in the summer of 2030; Europe, Africa and, amazingly, South America. The tournament is hosted by Spain, Portugal, Morocco, but the first few matches will be played in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. That reports the world football association FIFA on Wednesday. FIFA president Gianni Infantino speaks of a “unique global footprint” that the tournament leaves behind.
Spain and Portugal worked together to win the tournament during the year-long selection process. Morocco also joined this year. What is really surprising is the fact that the South American bloc has also joined their candidacy. Initially, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay were also on the hunt for the tournament. Chile also belonged to the bloc at the time, but is now not awarded a match by FIFA. The selection of a host country for the 2030 World Cup would actually only be completed next year, but because the six countries are joining together, there are no rival candidates left.
The three South American countries were already an attractive location: a hundred years ago, the first Football World Cup was organized in Uruguay. “The centenary World Cup could not have taken place far from South America, where it all began,” said Alejandro Dominguez, president of the South American Football Association.
“In a divided world, FIFA and football unite,” said FIFA President Infantino. “The first of these three matches in South America will of course be played in the stadium where it all started, in the mythical Estádio Centenário of Montevideo.” The first World Cup match ever was played in that stadium in 1930. The now somewhat outdated and relatively small stadium requires major renovation before the opening of the World Cup can take place. Plans for this are being made.