Riyadh: Saudi Arabia was confirmed as the host of the 2034 men’s football World Cup, while the 2030 edition will be staged in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with one-off matches in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, FIFA announced.  

The decision came after a virtual extraordinary Congress led by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Both tournaments had only single bids, which were approved by acclamation.   Infantino highlighted the unique features of the 2030 World Cup, saying, “What better way to celebrate the 100th anniversary in 2030 than to have the World Cup in six countries, in three continents, with 48 teams and 104 epic matches. The world will stand still and will celebrate the 100 years of the World Cup.”   Saudi Arabia will host the tournament in 2034, becoming the second Middle Eastern nation to stage the World Cup, following Qatar’s 2022 event. In 2023, FIFA had specified that the 2034 edition would be held in the Asia or Oceania region, with the Asian Football Confederation endorsing Saudi Arabia’s bid.