FIFA's Strategic World Cup Bids: Future Hosts Revealed

FIFA, on the sidelines of the Paris Olympics, formalized bids from federations for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups. Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay will co-host the 2030 edition, while Saudi Arabia is the sole candidate for 2034. Detailed project plans, including human rights assessments, will follow.

On the sidelines of the Paris Olympics, FIFA has been engaging with future hosts of the men's World Cup, including Saudi Arabia.

On Monday, FIFA revealed it received formal bid books from leaders of the seven member federations exclusively bidding for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups at a Paris event.

The 2030 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Spain, Portugal, Morocco, and South American countries Argentina, Paraguay, and inaugural host Uruguay, each hosting one of the 104 games. Saudi Arabia stands as the sole candidate for the 2034 World Cup after a fast-tracked bid process by FIFA last year.

These bids are set for confirmation during an online meeting of FIFA's 211 member federations on December 11.

The proposed World Cup projects must be detailed in hundreds of pages, which FIFA plans to publish later this week, including stadiums, hotels, training fields, transportation, and national security plans. FIFA announced they will comprehensively assess the bid books and release a report in the last quarter of the year.

In addition, the bidders must undergo an assessment of their human rights obligations related to hosting the tournament. FIFA's human rights policy, introduced eight years ago after awarding the 2018 and 2022 editions to Russia and Qatar, will be fully applied to assess the 2030 and 2034 candidates.

The United States, Canada, and Mexico will co-host the 2026 World Cup, the first expanded tournament featuring 48 teams. They won the bid over Morocco in a vote conducted in 2018.

(With inputs from agencies.)