FIFA Awards 2030 and 2034 World Cups to Morocco-Spain-Portugal and Saudi Arabia
The FIFA Congress, the governing body of international football, has officially announced the allocation of the World Cup tournaments for the next decade. The 2034 Men's World Cup will be hosted by Saudi Arabia, while the 2030 edition will take place across three countries: Morocco, Spain, and Portugal. This upcoming tournament carries significant historical weight as it commemorates the centenary of the very first World Cup held in 1930.
Matches for the 2030 World Cup will not only take place in Morocco, Spain, and Portugal but will also include Uruguay, the original host country of the inaugural World Cup, and neighboring Paraguay and Argentina.
FIFA's decision to rotate the hosting of the World Cup among different continents means that the 2034 World Cup could only be held in Asia or Oceania. Saudi Arabia emerged as the sole candidate for this event after both Indonesia and Australia withdrew their bids to host the tournament. Experts suggest that, much like the unique arrangements made for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the upcoming tournament in Saudi Arabia might also occur in late autumn or winter, to sidestep the extreme summer heat.
However, the decision to award the World Cup to Saudi Arabia has sparked a wave of controversy, particularly concerning the country's human rights record. The Norwegian football federation exhibited its discontent by abstaining from the vote, signaling a protest against the decision. Moreover, Amnesty International has voiced its concerns over the implications of this choice in a country with notorious human rights issues.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia, along with other Gulf nations such as Qatar, has invested heavily in sporting events to reshape its international reputation. The 2026 World Cup, prior to these events, is set to take place jointly in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, marking a new era of collaborative hosting arrangements in the world of football.
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