World Cup 2030: the next World Cup — dates, hosts, stadiums and how to qualify
The centenary World Cup: Spain, Portugal and Morocco host, with three opening matches in South America.
Updated
Hosts: Spain, Portugal, Morocco — plus one centenary match each in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
Tickets: Not on sale — official ticketing. FIFA has opened a register-your-interest form; sales windows will be announced in due course
Overview
The 2030 tournament marks 100 years since the first World Cup in Uruguay in 1930. FIFA awarded the main tournament to a joint bid from Spain, Portugal and Morocco — the first World Cup staged across two continents — with three centenary celebration matches played in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay at the start of the tournament. It runs from June 8 to July 21, 2030, across 23 FIFA-approved stadiums.
It is the second edition with the 48-team format introduced in 2026, so the road to the final again runs through a group stage of 12 groups, a Round of 32 and four further knockout rounds. A 64-team expansion for 2030 is under formal FIFA study: after the 2026 tournament FIFA said it would examine the proposal and in July 2026 commissioned an independent assessment, due back in September 2026. No outcome has been published and UEFA and the AFC oppose it. Until FIFA decides, the tournament is planned for 48 teams. The final venue is also still open: in September 2026 Morocco's federation claimed the final for Benslimane and Spain's insisted on Madrid, and FIFA said a decision will be made in due course.
Hosts and venues
- Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid
- Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Madrid
- Camp Nou, Barcelona
- RCDE Stadium, Barcelona
- San Mamés, Bilbao
- La Cartuja, Seville
- Nou Mestalla, Valencia
- Anoeta, San Sebastián
- Gran Canaria, Las Palmas
- Balaídos, Vigo
- La Romareda, Zaragoza
- Estádio da Luz, Lisbon
- Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon
- Estádio do Dragão, Porto
- Grand Stade Hassan II, Casablanca-Benslimane (new build)
- Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat
- Tangier Grand Stadium
- Marrakesh Grand Stadium
- Adrar Stadium, Agadir
- Fez Stadium
- Estadio Centenario, Montevideo
- Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires
- Estadio Osvaldo Domínguez Dibb, Asunción
Format
- 48 teams in 12 groups of four. Group winners, runners-up and the eight best third-placed teams advance to a Round of 32.
- Five knockout rounds: Round of 32, Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final — 104 matches in total, matching 2026.
- 23 stadiums confirmed by FIFA: 11 in Spain, 3 in Portugal, 6 in Morocco, plus the three South American centenary venues. The fixture list, group draw and the split of matches between the three main hosts are still to be published.
The path to World Cup 2030: how teams qualify
| Route | How it works |
|---|---|
| Hosts | All six host nations — Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay — qualify automatically. |
| UEFA | 16 places. UEFA announced a new two-tier system on May 20, 2026: the top 36 teams by 2028–29 Nations League ranking play in three groups of 12, Champions League-style, with six fixtures each; the top finishers qualify directly and the rest go into play-offs. Full details are due in late 2026 or early 2027. |
| CONCACAF | 6 places, no hosts. The format announced on February 6, 2026 has three rounds plus play-ins, with the final round played in June 2028 and September–October 2029. |
| CONMEBOL | With three South American hosts already through, the remaining seven nations contest the region's other places; the round-robin league is expected to continue, format still to be confirmed. |
| CAF | Morocco is qualified as host; the rest of Africa plays group qualifying with nine direct places plus play-off routes, if the 2026 allocation is repeated. |
| AFC, OFC and play-offs | Allocations are expected to mirror 2026 (AFC 8, OFC 1, plus an inter-confederation play-off tournament), pending FIFA confirmation. |
Latest World Cup 2030 updates
FIFA says no decision has been made on the World Cup 2030 final venue after Morocco's federation claimed it for the Grand Stade Hassan II in Benslimane; Spain's federation wants the Bernabéu. The 64-team expansion study is also unresolved. Details
Key dates
| When | What |
|---|---|
| December 6, 2026 | Euro 2028 qualifying draw, Belfast — UEFA's World Cup qualifying follows in 2028–29 |
| 2028–29 | UEFA Nations League ranking decides the 36-team top tier |
| June 2028 and Sept–Oct 2029 | CONCACAF final round |
| Late 2029 | Final draw (TBC) |
| June 8, 2030 | Opening matches in Montevideo, Buenos Aires and Asunción |
| July 21, 2030 | Final (venue TBC — Madrid or Casablanca) |
Past winners
| Year | Host | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | United States, Canada & Mexico | Spain | Argentina |
| 2022 | Qatar | Argentina | France |
| 2018 | Russia | France | Croatia |
| 2014 | Brazil | Germany | Argentina |
| 2010 | South Africa | Spain | Netherlands |
| 2006 | Germany | Italy | France |
| 2002 | South Korea & Japan | Brazil | Germany |
| 1998 | France | France | Brazil |
| 1994 | United States | Brazil | Italy |
| 1990 | Italy | West Germany | Argentina |
| 1986 | Mexico | Argentina | West Germany |
| 1982 | Spain | Italy | West Germany |
| 1978 | Argentina | Argentina | Netherlands |
| 1974 | West Germany | West Germany | Netherlands |
| 1970 | Mexico | Brazil | Italy |
| 1966 | England | England | West Germany |
| 1962 | Chile | Brazil | Czechoslovakia |
| 1958 | Sweden | Brazil | Sweden |
| 1954 | Switzerland | West Germany | Hungary |
| 1950 | Brazil | Uruguay | Brazil |
| 1938 | France | Italy | Hungary |
| 1934 | Italy | Italy | Czechoslovakia |
| 1930 | Uruguay | Uruguay | Argentina |
World Cup 2030 FAQ
When is the 2030 World Cup?
June 8 – July 21, 2030. The centenary opening matches are played in South America on the opening days before the tournament moves to Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
Who is hosting the 2030 World Cup?
Spain, Portugal and Morocco host the main tournament. Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay each host one centenary match at the start of the competition.
How many teams will play at World Cup 2030?
48 teams are planned, the same as 2026. A 64-team expansion is under formal FIFA study, with an independent assessment commissioned in July 2026; no decision has been made.
How many stadiums will World Cup 2030 use?
23 stadiums approved by FIFA: 11 in Spain, 3 in Portugal and 6 in Morocco, plus the three centenary venues in Montevideo, Buenos Aires and Asunción.
Do the host nations qualify automatically?
Yes — all six hosts (Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay) have automatic places.
Where is the 2030 World Cup final?
Not decided. Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu and Morocco's new Grand Stade Hassan II in Casablanca-Benslimane are the two candidates. FIFA said on September 11, 2026 that no decision has been finalised, after the Moroccan federation publicly claimed the final.
Guides for World Cup 2030
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Details marked TBC had not been confirmed by the organiser when this page was last reviewed (September 28, 2026).