The 2030 FIFA World Cup is confirmed — And it's unlike any tournament before it

The FIFA World Cup ended this past Sunday. Spain defeated Argentina in a heated final, with Ferran Torres scoring the winning goal, with a 1 - 0 scoreline. As Spain continues to celebrate, FIFA is sharing details of the next World Cup, which will celebrate 100 years of history. As such, it's planned to be the largest tournament of its kind. 

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The 2030 FIFA World Cup will be hosted across six countries, a first in the tournament's history. The opening matches will take place in key locations in South America, before moving on to Europe, where the remainder of the tournament will be disputed.

The tournament's centenary matches will be hosted in some emblematic locations for FIFA's history: Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. Uruguay was the home of the inaugural World Cup in 1930. Argentina was the runner-up of that tournament, which is why the country will also host a game. In the case of Paraguay, the match there is an acknowledgement of CONMEBOL, which was the only continental football confederation at the time. 

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The majority of the tournament will be hosted in three countries in Europe that also share a rich soccer history: Spain, Morocco, and Portugal. Early dates include games in South America on June 8 and 9, followed by matches in Europe hosted on June 13 and 14. The final is expected to be played on July 21st.

The host nations are already qualified for the finals.

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An even bigger tournament

This World Cup was the largest in history, hosting 48 teams. According to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, this year's decision to increase the number of competitors was a success, helping the game grow globally. His statements suggest that there might be a possibility for the tournament to include even more teams, with some suggesting a cap of 64 teams.

Infantino said the proposal of 64 teams “will be examined and discussed”. 

The following World Cup, hosted in 2034, is almost a decade away, yet the host nation has already been confirmed. The tournament will be hosted in Saudi Arabia. More details have yet to be revealed.

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