On Wednesday, FIFA will formally announce the men’s World Cup hosts for 2030 and 2034. Due to the absence of rival bids, the result was generally expected. A unique three-continent, six-nation bid led by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal will win the 2030 event, while Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 edition.
Following FIFA’s declaration in October 2023 that there were no competing bids for either event, the announcement is anticipated to be little more than a formality. Nonetheless, there have been several criticisms of the process, with issues pertaining to human rights, the environment, and the bidding procedure.
A World Cup Across Three Continents in 2030 That Will Be Historic
The competition, which was first played in Uruguay in 1930, will celebrate its centenary in the 2030 World Cup. FIFA has authorised a special format that will see games played in six countries and three continents to mark the milestone. While Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay will host commemorative matches to honour the tournament’s beginnings, Morocco, Spain, and Portugal will host the majority of the competition.
Along with Argentina and Paraguay, Uruguay, the first-ever World Cup host, will host one of the opening games. This agreement follows FIFA’s restructuring of a 2022 joint proposal by Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay, in which the South American countries agreed to host a limited number of games.
Saudi Arabia will host the World Cup in 2034.
After Qatar’s contentious hosting of the 2022 World Cup, Saudi Arabia, the only bidder for the 2034 tournament, is expected to become the second Middle Eastern country to host the competition. Australia and Indonesia, which had contemplated a joint offer, withdrew from the competition, leaving the Kingdom’s bid without any rivals.
