2030 World Cup will take place on three continents
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The 2030 men's FIFA World Cup will be played in six total countries throughout Africa, Europe and South America, the world's governing soccer body announced Wednesday.
Why it matters: This marks the first time ever that the world's most prestigious soccer tournament will take place across three continents.
Spain, Morocco and Portugal are set to be World Cup co-hosts in 2030, with opening matches held in Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay to celebrate 100 years of the tournament — which began in South America in 1930.
- Morocco and Portugal will be hosting for the first time, though Spain previously hosted matches in 1982.
- Flashback: Montevideo, Uruguay's capital, held the inaugural World Cup final match at its Estadio Centenario, where Uruguay defeated Argentina, 4-2.
What they're saying: "In a divided world, FIFA and football are uniting," FIFA's president Gianni Infantino said in a statement Wednesday.
- "The FIFA Council, representing the entire world of football, unanimously agreed to celebrate the centenary of the FIFA World Cup, whose first edition was played in Uruguay in 1930, in the most appropriate way," Infantino said.
Meanwhile, the U.S., Canada and Mexico are set to host the 2026 World Cup.
- FIFA also launched the bidding process for its 2034 games and said the tournament will take place in Asia or Oceania.
- Saudi Arabia intends to bid to host the 2034 tournament, the country's state news agency said Wednesday.
- Australia has also expressed interest in a 2034 hosting spot, per AP, after hosting the Women's World Cup alongside New Zealand earlier this year.
Go deeper: Next FIFA World Cup will have 16 more teams and 40 extra games
