Overview
- FIFA has confirmed Spain, Portugal and Morocco as the principal hosts of the 2030 World Cup with three 100th‑anniversary opening matches to be held in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay and set the tournament dates for 8 June–21 July 2030.
- Organizers have circulated a preliminary plan for 23 stadiums — 11 in Spain, six in Morocco, three in Portugal and three in South America — but no individual venues have been formally finalised.
- FIFA has asked an independent agency to produce a fast‑track impact study on expanding the finals from 48 to 64 teams, with the report scheduled for delivery by 11 September 2026.
- A move to 64 teams would raise group‑stage matches from 72 to 96, reintroduce a round of 32 and create major new demands on scheduling, team travel and qualification pathways.
- The 2034 award to Saudi Arabia remains in place and continues to draw criticism from human rights groups while some national federations publicly supported the selection, adding political and commercial scrutiny to planning for the next two tournaments.