World Cup 2030: Hosts, Dates, Stadiums, Format and Qualification
The 2030 centenary World Cup explained: six host countries on three continents, dates from 8 June to 21 July 2030, stadiums, final venue and who qualifies.
The 2030 World Cup marks 100 years since the first tournament in Uruguay in 1930, and it will look unlike any World Cup before it. Morocco, Portugal and Spain are the main hosts, while Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will each stage one opening match to celebrate the centenary. This guide covers what is confirmed so far, as of October 2026, and which questions are still open.
The 2030 World Cup at a glance
| Fact | Status (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Main hosts | Morocco, Portugal, Spain |
| Centenary hosts | Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay (one match each) |
| Continents | Three: Africa, Europe, South America |
| Dates | 8 June – 21 July 2030 |
| Opening match | Estadio Centenario, Montevideo (centenary match) |
| Official opening ceremony | 13 June 2030 |
| Final | 21 July 2030, venue not yet decided |
| Number of teams | 48 under the current format; a 64-team proposal is under review |
| Automatic qualifiers | All six host nations |
| Hosts confirmed | 11 December 2024 (Extraordinary FIFA Congress) |
How the hosting was decided
FIFA’s Council proposed a single combined bid in 2023: Morocco, Portugal and Spain would host the tournament, and the three South American countries would host centenary celebration matches. On 11 December 2024, an Extraordinary FIFA Congress held online confirmed the 2030 hosts together with Saudi Arabia for 2034. There were no rival bids.
Ukraine was originally part of the Spain-Portugal bid before Morocco joined, but it is not part of the final hosting plan.
For background on how hosts are chosen and how earlier host nations performed, see our overview of every World Cup host country.
The schedule
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 8–9 June 2030 | Centenary ceremony in Montevideo and the three South American matches, featuring Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay |
| 13–14 June 2030 | Official opening ceremony and first matches in Morocco, Portugal and Spain |
| 15–16 June 2030 | Other opening group matches in the groups of Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay |
| 21–22 June 2030 | Second group matches for those groups, in Europe or Africa |
| 21 July 2030 | Final |
After their opening matches in South America, the six teams involved have about 11 to 12 days to travel and recover before their second group matches across the Atlantic. FIFA says the overall calendar matches the player release period used for 2026.
Stadiums and host cities
The exact stadium list still needs final FIFA approval. The venues put forward so far are:
Morocco (6 stadiums)
| Stadium | City |
|---|---|
| Grand Stade Hassan II | Benslimane, near Casablanca (new) |
| Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium | Rabat |
| Ibn Batouta Stadium | Tangier |
| Marrakesh Stadium | Marrakesh |
| Fez Stadium | Fez |
| Adrar Stadium | Agadir |
The Grand Stade Hassan II, planned with a capacity of around 115,000, would be the largest football stadium in the world.
Portugal (3 stadiums)
| Stadium | City |
|---|---|
| Estádio da Luz | Lisbon |
| Estádio José Alvalade | Lisbon |
| Estádio do Dragão | Porto |
Spain (up to 11 stadiums)
| Stadium | City |
|---|---|
| Santiago Bernabéu | Madrid |
| Riyadh Air Metropolitano | Madrid |
| Spotify Camp Nou | Barcelona |
| RCDE Stadium | Cornellà-El Prat (Barcelona) |
| San Mamés | Bilbao |
| Anoeta (Reale Arena) | San Sebastián |
| La Cartuja | Seville |
| Estadio Gran Canaria | Las Palmas |
| Nueva Romareda | Zaragoza |
| Nou Mestalla | Valencia (candidate) |
| Balaídos | Vigo (candidate) |
After Málaga and A Coruña withdrew, Spain’s football federation put forward Valencia and Vigo as replacement candidates in spring 2026. FIFA had not published a final decision on them by October 2026.
South America (centenary matches)
| Country | Venue |
|---|---|
| Uruguay | Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, which hosted the 1930 final |
| Argentina | Expected: Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires |
| Paraguay | Proposed: Estadio Osvaldo Domínguez Dibb, Asunción |
Only Montevideo is fully confirmed as a venue. Argentina’s and Paraguay’s stadiums depend on FIFA’s final approval.
Where will the 2030 final be played?
FIFA has not yet named the final venue. The main candidates are:
- Santiago Bernabéu (Madrid), which hosted the 1982 final
- Spotify Camp Nou (Barcelona), being rebuilt with a larger capacity
- Grand Stade Hassan II (near Casablanca), Morocco’s new flagship stadium
The Spanish football federation has said it expects the final to be played in Spain. Morocco has presented the Grand Stade Hassan II as a candidate. Until FIFA decides, any claim about the final venue is speculation.
Format: 48 or 64 teams?
The 2030 World Cup is planned with the 48-team format introduced in 2026: 12 groups of four, a round of 32 and 104 matches. You can see how that format played out in our 2026 World Cup results.
However, CONMEBOL formally proposed a one-off 64-team tournament for the centenary in April 2025. In July 2026 FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the idea would be examined by FIFA’s committees after the 2026 tournament. A 64-team format would mean 16 groups of four and 128 matches. UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has called the idea a bad one. As of October 2026, no decision has been announced, and any change would need the approval of FIFA’s governing bodies.
Who qualifies for 2030?
Automatic places
All six host nations qualify automatically:
- Morocco
- Portugal
- Spain (reigning world champions)
- Uruguay
- Argentina
- Paraguay
The FIFA Congress approved automatic places for the three centenary hosts, even though they will play only one home match each.
Everyone else
All other teams must qualify through their continental qualifying competitions. The slot allocation per confederation for 2030 had not been published by October 2026. For comparison, in 2026 the allocation was:
| Confederation | Places 2026 |
|---|---|
| UEFA (Europe) | 16 |
| CAF (Africa) | 9 |
| AFC (Asia) | 8 |
| CONMEBOL (South America) | 6 |
| CONCACAF (North and Central America, Caribbean) | 6 |
| OFC (Oceania) | 1 |
| Intercontinental play-off | 2 |
With three European and three South American hosts qualifying automatically, the remaining places for UEFA and CONMEBOL teams could shrink unless FIFA adjusts the allocation.
Open questions to watch
- Final venue for 21 July 2030
- Approval of Spain’s two replacement stadiums
- Decision on the 48- or 64-team format
- Qualifying slots per confederation
- Ticket sales process and prices
Spain will defend its 2026 title at home, and Kylian Mbappé could extend his scoring record. See the all-time World Cup top scorers for the current list.