The 2030 World Cup will be unlike any tournament that has come before it. One hundred years after Uruguay staged the first World Cup in 1930, the centenary edition spans six countries on three continents: Spain, Portugal and Morocco host the main tournament, with three centenary matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. Here is the guide to where it will all happen, and what is still to be decided.

The three main hosts: Spain, Portugal and Morocco

Spain will stage the most matches, with 11 stadiums across nine cities in the original bid, including the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid and a renovated Camp Nou in Barcelona. Portugal contributes Lisbon and Porto, and Morocco brings six venues across six cities: Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, Tangier, Fez and Agadir. The final venue has not been decided, with the Bernabeu, Camp Nou and Casablanca's new Grand Stade Hassan II reported as the leading contenders. The definitive stadium list is expected to be ratified around late 2026.

The centenary matches in South America

The tournament opens with three centenary matches on 8 and 9 June 2030, one in each of the South American host nations. Uruguay's match will be played at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, the same ground where Uruguay beat Argentina 4-2 to win the first World Cup on 30 July 1930. Argentina's match is at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, and Paraguay's at the new Estadio Osvaldo Dominguez Dibb in Asuncion. The main tournament then begins in Europe and Africa on 13 and 14 June.

The format: 48 teams, maybe 64

The 2030 World Cup is officially set for 48 teams, the same format introduced in 2026, but FIFA is formally examining a proposal to expand to 64 teams, and no decision has been made. All six host nations qualify automatically, the most host berths in World Cup history, which reshapes qualification for every other confederation. The final is scheduled for 21 July 2030, making the tournament 43 days long from the first centenary match to the last.

Getting between the host cities

Travel is the defining challenge of 2030. Fans attending matches in Spain, Portugal and Morocco can move between many host cities by high-speed rail and short flights, with Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon and Casablanca well connected. The centenary matches, however, require a separate trip to South America days before the main tournament begins. Most fans will choose one leg of the tournament, and the practical advice is to pick a base city, attend a cluster of matches there, and avoid trying to follow a single team across continents.

What is still undecided

Plenty remains open. The definitive venue list is due around late 2026, and it has already moved once, with Malaga and A Coruna withdrawing and Valencia and Vigo entering in 2026. The match schedule has not been published, the final venue is undecided, and the 48 versus 64 team question is unresolved. Ticket sales have not opened. The sensible approach for fans is to register interest with FIFA, follow the official announcements, and avoid booking anything non-refundable until the schedule is confirmed.

The 2030 World Cup will take football to six countries on three continents, from the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo to the Bernabeu in Madrid and the new Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca. Much is still undecided, from the final venue to the number of teams, but the shape of the centenary tournament is clear, and it will be the biggest World Cup ever staged.

For supporters planning now, the practical choice is simple: pick one country and one cluster of cities, rather than trying to see the whole tournament. Spain offers the most matches and the biggest stadiums, Portugal offers two compact host cities, and Morocco offers the first World Cup ever staged in North Africa. Whichever route fans choose, the centenary tournament will reward those who plan early and book only through official channels.