The 2030 men's football World Cup will feature matches in six countries on three continents, according to ambitious proposals unveiled by the world game's governing body Fifa to celebrate the tournament's 100th birthday.
The unprecedented format will start with a match at the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo in Uruguay - the venue for the first game at the inaugural World Cup in 1930.
Further fixtures under the "centenary celebration matches" banner will be played in Argentina and Paraguay before the action switches to the core tournament sites in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
Executives at Fifa – which organises the World Cup every four years – thrashed out the deal with powerbrokers at the outfits which oversee the sport in South America, Europe and Africa.
“The centennial World Cup could not be far from South America, where everything began,” said Alejandro Dominguez, the president of Conmebol which runs the game in South America.
The 2030 intercontinental extravaganza will require the green light from a meeting of the 211 football federations that make up Fifa. With Paraguay, Portugal and Morocco enjoying the chance to host the event for the first time, it is understood that clearance will be a formality.
Chance
“In 2030, we will have a unique global footprint, three continents and six countries welcoming and uniting the world while celebrating together the beautiful game, the centenary and the Fifa World Cup,” said Fifa boss Gianni Infantino.
However, the plan came under immediate fire from climate acticvists and supporters' groups over the need to travel long distances across several time zones and costs.
“Fifa continues its cycle of destruction against the greatest tournament on earth,” said Football Supporters Europe, one of the fan groups officially recognized by European football's governing body Uefa.
“It is horrendous for supporters and disregards the environment."
FSE also attacked Fifa's plans to clear a path allowing only countries from Asia and Oceania to stage the tournament in 2034.
Though Australia – the joint venue for the 2023 Women's World Cup is believed to be interested – Saudi Arabia has emerged as the likely candidate to host the competition.
Ambition
Qatar's capture of the 2022 tournament upstaged its regional rival. Since the end of the event in Doha, Saudi teams have aggressively recruited some of the biggest names in the sport including the Senegal internationals Sadio Mané and Kalidou Koulibaly.
Neymar left Paris Saint -Germain for Al-Hilal while Cristiano Ronaldo plies his trade at Al-Nassr.
"We want to celebrate our football culture and share our country with the world,” Yasser Al Misehal, the president of the Saudi football federation, said in a government statement announcing its intention to bid.
“The entire Asian football family will stand united in support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s momentous initiative,” said Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa who heads the Asian Football Confederation.
Limelight
The 2030 decision will make Morocco the second African nation after South Africa to host the event.
Last week, administrators at the Confederation of African Football selected the country as host of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. It and the other five host countries will qualify automatically for the 48-team tournament which will be held in June and July.
Spain's chance to stage the World Cup for a second time comes despite the scandal involving Luis Rubiales, the former president of Spain’s soccer federation.
He became an international pariah in August for his behaviour at the Women’s World Cup final where he kissed a Spain player on the lips during the awards ceremony in Sydney.
Rubiales initially refused to quit. He was suspended by Fifa and he eventually resigned.
