Soccer-Morocco, Spain and Portugal to host 2030 World Cup, three games in S America

Morocco, Spain and Portugal have been named hosts of the 2030 soccer World Cup, while Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will host the opening matches to mark the tournament's centenary, world soccer body FIFA said on Wednesday. The joint bid from Morocco, Portugal and Spain was the sole candidate to host the tournament.

Morocco, Spain and Portugal have been named hosts of the 2030 soccer World Cup, while Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will host the opening matches to mark the tournament's centenary, world soccer body FIFA said on Wednesday.

The joint bid from Morocco, Portugal and Spain was the sole candidate to host the tournament. The inaugural World Cup in 1930 was held in Uruguay and won by the hosts. It marks the first time the World Cup will be staged across three continents and six countries.

"The FIFA Council unanimously agreed that the sole candidacy will be the combined bid of Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, which will host the event in 2030 and qualify automatically from the existing slot allocation," FIFA said in a statement. "Additionally, having taken into account the historical context of the first-ever FIFA World Cup, the FIFA Council further unanimously agreed to host a unique centenary celebration ceremony in the country's capital, Montevideo... as well as three World Cup matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay respectively."

The 2022 World Cup was held in Qatar. Argentina are the defending champions.

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