Spain, the first reigning champion to host a World Cup amid many uncertainties
The 2030 World Cup, which will be held on the Iberian Peninsula and in Morocco, still has many mysteries to resolve: the venues, the stadium for the final and how many teams will compete
After the whirlwind of 104 matches in just 39 days at the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, it is time to begin preparations for the next World Cup. In 2030, Spain, Portugal and Morocco will host a historic centennial tournament, but many questions remain unanswered: which venues will be chosen, which stadium will stage the final, how many teams will take part... One thing is certain: Spain will be the first country whose national team, as reigning world champion, will defend the title at home.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he was more than pleased with the staging of the longest World Cup in history after the tournament expanded from 32 to 48 teams. “I am very happy about the incredible success of this FIFA World Cup and, of course, very proud of everything that happened. We have seen unparalleled images and scenes of fans in the stadiums and in the cities. All the big stars performed at their best, new players and debutant teams such as Cape Verde stood out, and we heard beautiful stories,” Infantino said after the tournament.
The 2030 World Cup will begin in Montevideo, Buenos Aires, and Asunción before moving to the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco as a tribute to the tournament’s centenary. Alejandro Domínguez, president of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), has been one of the main figures working with football institutions to expand the World Cup to 64 national teams. That would also allow the three South American hosts to stage more matches. Domínguez reiterated on social media Tuesday his support for expanding the tournament: “Next one is at home! In 2030 the World Cup is coming to Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay. A great opportunity for football, to celebrate the World Cup centenary with a competition of 64 teams.”
It was Spain that hosted the tournament when the World Cup expanded from 16 to 24 teams in 1982. Another expansion to 32 was later proposed, but the idea took hold three editions later when it was implemented at France 1998. Twenty-eight years and six editions had to pass before the field of teams was expanded again. Now Domínguez is proposing a change from one edition to the next and reopening the debate over the sporting quality of the tournament. It would be an opportunity for smaller national teams to participate, but as Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz said, it would also diminish the feeling of achieving something historic, such as qualifying for a World Cup.
FIFA sources told this newspaper in the midst of World Cup celebrations that CONMEBOL’s proposal is still in its infancy and that no formal working groups have been set up to study its viability. Those sources warn that the current 48-team format needs to mature over a couple more editions first. “It will take a few years for the development of more teams to proceed alongside the necessary investment in development,” a source close to the organization said. However, the proposal has not been ruled out and could be implemented. A possible turning point could come in March 2027. Infantino will stand for re-election after a decade in office. Everything points to him being re-elected, but if a heavyweight figure in world soccer runs as a candidate, the 64-team proposal could sway votes.
Another unknown is where the final will be played. The president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Rafael Louzán, said last January that it would be held in Spain. At first glance, Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu stadium is the favorite, although FIFA has not yet made a decision. With Portugal out of the running to host the final, Morocco also wants it and is pressing to secure it. Rabat has promoted the project for Casablanca’s Hassan II Stadium, with a proposed capacity of 115,000, developed with the firm that oversaw the last Wembley Stadium renovation. However, the Bernabéu’s historical weight — having already hosted the 1982 final — and the desire to bring a final back to Europe after matches in Doha and New York place it one step ahead. If Spain does not host the final and Morocco does, it would be the fourth consecutive final held outside Europe, joining the one in Riyadh in 2034.
The row over Spanish host cities is another aspect to consider. There is still no official list of cities that will host matches in the 2030 World Cup, but some have withdrawn and others are considering pulling out. Málaga withdrew its bid a year ago after the city council refused to renovate La Rosaleda because of the economic and social harm it would cause fans if Málaga CF had to play two seasons away from its stadium — especially after the club’s promotion this season to the first division. Bilbao and San Sebastián, which had offered themselves as host cities, now have doubts. In March, a FIFA inspection conveyed new requirements, local Basque institutions said at the end of May. FIFA will begin evaluating candidate venues in early 2027, and any venue that raises even slight doubts about funding will be immediately eliminated.
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