2030 FIFA World Cup facts for kids
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| Tournament details | |
| Host country |  Spain Portugal MoroccoInaugural match hosts:  Uruguay Paraguay Argentina |
| Dates | June – July 2030 |
| Teams | 48 (from 6 confederations) |
| Venue(s) | TBD |
The 2030 FIFA World Cup will be a huge international football tournament. It's the 24th time this event will happen. The World Cup takes place every four years. National teams from all over the world compete to win.
This 2030 tournament is extra special. It marks 100 years since the very first World Cup in 1930. For the first time ever, three countries from two different continents will host the main event. These are Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Also, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay will host the very first matches.
Contents
How Hosts Are Chosen
FIFA started looking for hosts in 2022. Countries from Asia and North America could not bid. This is because Qatar hosted in 2022 and North America will host in 2026.
Host countries need many large stadiums. They must have at least 14 stadiums with 40,000 seats. Seven of these stadiums must already exist. The opening game and the final match need a stadium with 80,000 seats. The semi-final matches need stadiums with 60,000 seats.
Hosts also need many training places for teams. They need good places for players to stay. FIFA also checks things like broadcasting and places for events. They also look at how hosts plan to protect the environment. Support from the government is also important.
Teams and How They Qualify
All six countries hosting the tournament will automatically get a spot. This means they don't have to play in qualification games.
Countries That Wanted to Host
Spain, Portugal, and Morocco Bid
Spain and Portugal first talked about a joint bid in 2020. Their football groups agreed in 2021. Both countries' leaders supported the idea. Later, in 2022, Ukraine also joined their bid. They hoped to host some group stage matches.
In 2023, Morocco also joined this bid. Morocco had wanted to host on its own. But then they teamed up with Spain and Portugal. This bid is supported by the African football group (CAF).
Spain hosted the World Cup in 1982. Portugal hosted the Euro tournament in 2004. Ukraine co-hosted Euro 2012. Morocco has hosted the Africa Cup of Nations before. Spain has picked 15 possible stadiums. They plan to use 11 for the tournament. The Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid might host the first game and the final. Morocco has chosen six stadiums. One will be a new, very large stadium.
Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay Bid
Argentina and Uruguay announced their joint bid in 2017. They wanted to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the first World Cup. Uruguay hosted that first World Cup in 1930. Famous players like Luis Suárez (Uruguay) and Lionel Messi (Argentina) helped promote this bid.
Later, Paraguay joined the bid in 2017. Chile joined in 2019. All these countries have hosted the Copa América. Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay have also hosted the FIFA World Cup before. They are looking at 18 stadiums in 13 cities. This includes a new stadium in Paraguay.
Other Bids That Were Not Chosen
Egypt, Greece, and Saudi Arabia Bid
Saudi Arabia wanted to host with Greece and Egypt. Saudi Arabia is in Asia, so they usually couldn't host the 2030 World Cup. This is because Qatar (also in Asia) hosted in 2022. But FIFA's president hinted that rules might change.
Greece had first planned to bid with other European countries. But then Greece joined Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia offered to help pay for new stadiums in Greece. This bid faced some questions. Some people worried about Saudi Arabia's human rights record. Also, the summer climate in Saudi Arabia is very hot. Egypt later said they were not planning to bid. By September 2023, Saudi Arabia decided to focus on bidding for the 2034 World Cup instead.
United Kingdom and Ireland Bid
The English Football Association (FA) showed interest in hosting as early as 2015. The European football group (UEFA) thought a British bid was a good idea. In 2018, England joined with Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland for a joint bid. The Republic of Ireland also joined later that year. This idea had a lot of support from governments.
However, in 2022, these five football groups changed their minds. They decided to bid to host the Euro 2028 tournament instead. This meant they stopped their World Cup bid.
Other Ideas for Hosting
Some other countries also thought about bidding.
- A politician from Cameroon suggested a joint bid with other Central African nations.
- The President of South Korea hoped for a joint World Cup with North Korea. This would help improve relations between them.
- Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru publicly said they wanted to submit a joint bid.
- Australia explored a bid.
- Some North African countries also thought about a joint bid.
None of these ideas turned into official bids.
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See also
In Spanish: Copa Mundial de Fútbol de 2030 para niños
