The World Cup Returns to Spain After 48 Years

FIFA is poised to announce that the 2030 World Cup will be hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, marking Spain’s return as a host nation after nearly half a century. This decision will be officially ratified this afternoon.

The 2030 World Cup bid includes six countries and 24 stadiums. Spain, Portugal, and Morocco will provide 20 stadiums, while Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay will host some group stage matches in the remaining four venues.

With the bid now finalized, attention turns to key details such as the location of the final match. Four stadiums meet FIFA’s requirements: Santiago Bernabéu, Spotify Camp Nou, Metropolitano, and Stade Hassan II in Casablanca. The Santiago Bernabéu is currently favored to host the final, though Casablanca’s stadium renovation, which will increase its capacity to 115,000 by 2028, could present a strong challenge.

Once the bid is officially confirmed, FIFA will take control of the World Cup organization, forming a committee to oversee the event. Madrid will compete with Lisbon and Rabat to be named the tournament’s capital city. Spain is considered the frontrunner due to its transportation infrastructure and hotel capacity in major cities, but the final decision rests with FIFA.

According to FIFA, Spain has nine eligible venues, Morocco has six, Portugal has two, and Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay each have one. This distribution positions Spain as the likely focal point of the tournament, but the final selection of host cities and venues will be determined in the coming years.