20 July 2026•Update: 20 July 2026
- Tournament spans 6 countries and 3 continents as FIFA marks 100 years of World Cup
- Spain, Portugal and Morocco are the main hosts of the tournament and will stage 101 of its 104 matches
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup having come to a close, attention is already turning to the next edition of football’s biggest tournament.
Scheduled for 2030, the next FIFA World Cup will be unlike any previous edition, with matches spread across six countries on three continents to mark the 100th anniversary of the competition, which began in Uruguay in 1930.
Who will host 2030 World Cup?
Spain, Portugal and Morocco are the main hosts of the tournament and will stage 101 of its 104 matches.
However, to commemorate the centenary of the inaugural World Cup, three matches will also be staged in the South American countries of Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
Uruguay will host the centenary celebration and one match in Montevideo, where the first World Cup was held in 1930.
Argentina and Paraguay will each stage one group-stage match before the tournament moves entirely to Europe and Africa.
The 2030 edition will become the first World Cup staged across three continents: Europe, Africa and South America.
It will also be the first hosted by six countries and the first World Cup held in Europe and Africa simultaneously.
When will it take place?
Under FIFA’s intended schedule, the centenary celebration ceremony and matches will take place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay from June 8-9, 2030.
The official opening ceremony and opening game or games will take place in Spain, Portugal and Morocco from June 13-14.
The first matches involving the other teams in the groups of Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will take place from June 15-16.
The second matches involving all teams in those groups will be played between June 21-22.
The final is scheduled for July 21.
What will format be?
The tournament is expected to retain the 48-team format introduced in 2026, with 12 groups of four teams.
The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to the round of 32, followed by the traditional knockout rounds.
A total of 104 matches will be played.
All six host nations will qualify automatically: Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
The remaining places will be determined through continental qualifying competitions.
Why is tournament unique?
Beyond celebrating 100 years since the first World Cup, FIFA says the unusual format is intended to connect the tournament’s origins in South America with its modern global reach.
FIFA has described 2030 as a "symbolic milestone" as it marks 100 years since the first FIFA World Cup was played in South America across three stadiums.
The arrangement also means several teams involved in the centenary matches will travel between continents during the group stage, prompting FIFA to include longer rest periods in the schedule.
