Morocco, Portugal and Spain will stage the 2030 World Cup, according to reports, but the opening three games of the tournament will be played in Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina.
That's right. It appears the FIFA World Cup in 2030 will be held in six different countries across three continents, with the above six countries automatically qualifying for the competition.
The first match is set to played in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, before Argentina host their opener in Buenos Aires.
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Then, after a serious amount of air miles, the third fixture will be held in Asuncion, Paraguay.
As a result of the opening games being held in those South American continents, the six teams involved will have to fly across the Atlantic as the rest of the tournament continues in Morocco, Portugal and Spain.
The decision to award Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay the opening games was an idea around the tournament’s 100th anniversary, according to a report from The Athletic.
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Alejandro Dominguez, the FIFA vice president, said on Twitter: “We aimed high and dreamed big. The 2030 Centenario World Cup starts where it all began.
“The host of the opening matches of the Centenario World Cup will be Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina.”
Here's how social media reacted to the news.
One fan wrote: "They need to stop this whole 'multiple teams hosting the world cup' nonsense. It destroys the vibe, is impractical for fans and removes the financial and cultural incentives to improve local infrastructure."
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A second commented: "Fans will have to fly South America for their first group games, then back to Spain/Morocco for the remainder. Once again zero consideration for the supporters following their teams. But we wouldn't expect anything else from FIFA."
A third said: "Got to credit FIFA. Every time you think they can’t possibly increase the carbon footprint of the next World Cup, they find a creative way to prove you wrong."
A fourth added: "Bad on so many levels. Why have matches in six different countries and three different continents for one tournament? Not only will that take a toll on players, but it’s also a recklessly outsized climate impact. All just for FIFA to toot its own horn a little louder."
Before the World Cup kicks off in 2030, the prestigious tournament will be hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico in 2026 – and it will see an increase to six games-a-day during the group stages.
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Thoughts on the 2030 World Cup being the first to be held across three continents? Is it a good idea?
Let us know in the comments.
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Featured Image Credit: Getty ImagesTopics: Argentina, Football World Cup, Morocco, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain, Uruguay, Fan Reactions
