2030 World Cup: venues in Spain, dates and key facts

On 11 December 2024, the FIFA Extraordinary Congress ratified Spain, Portugal and Morocco as hosts of the 2030 World Cup and awarded three centenary matches to Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, marking 100 years since the first World Cup (Uruguay 1930): the first World Cup across three continents at once, and the second time Spain hosts it, 48 years after Spain 1982.

The bid took four years: Spain and Portugal announced their joint intention in October 2020, Morocco joined later, and the three-way bid —UEFA, CAF and CONMEBOL involved— was the only one left after the rival South American bid withdrew. Settled today: the three main hosts, the centenary matches and the calendar window; open: venues, format and the final's host, with date and source in each section.

The RFEF unveiled a shortlist of 15 stadiums on 14 July 2022, when the bid was still Spain-Portugal only. With Morocco on board, it submitted the definitive bid book on 31 July 2024 with 11 stadiums in 9 cities; FIFA finalised the list 12 days later, within 20 total stadiums (6 in Morocco, 3 in Portugal) out of 23 candidates, and ratified it on 11 December. Since then the Spanish list has changed twice.

Málaga withdrew on 12 July 2025 (La Rosaleda renovation) and A Coruña on 16 March 2026 (cost, despite its plans for Riazor). In late March 2026 the RFEF proposed Nou Mestalla (Valencia) and Balaídos (Vigo) as replacements, still unconfirmed by FIFA.

The rest is not settled either: in May 2026, the Basque Country proposed merging San Mamés and Anoeta, and in August Gran Canaria's first tender failed. That same month, the RFEF admitted Spain could lose 2-3 of its nine venues, with RCDE Stadium the most vulnerable: until FIFA's closed list, only the six venues unchallenged since December 2024 are final.

Portugal contributes 3 stadiums in 2 cities: Estádio da Luz and Estádio José Alvalade (Lisbon) and Estádio do Dragão (Porto). Morocco contributes 6 stadiums in 6 cities: the new Grand Stade Hassan II in Casablanca (a final candidate), Príncipe Moulay Abdellah in Rabat, Ibn Batouta in Tangier, Grand Stade de Marrakech, Adrar in Agadir and the Fez stadium —all 9 remain unchallenged since December 2024—; the first World Cup in North Africa and on the continent since South Africa 2010.

The three centenary matches are played on 8 and 9 June 2030 in South America: Uruguay opens at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo (host of the 1930 final, won at home); Argentina, runners-up in 1930, plays at the renovated Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires; and Paraguay, home of CONMEBOL, unveils the new Estadio Osvaldo Domínguez Dibb in Asunción.

FIFA's plan since December 2024 keeps the 2026 World Cup format: 48 teams, 12 groups and 104 matches. The tournament runs from 8 June to 21 July 2030 —44 days, the longest ever—, with the centenary matches in South America (8-9 June) and the main phase starting in Morocco, Portugal and Spain on 13-14 June.

That format is no longer settled, though. In March 2025 CONMEBOL proposed expanding it to 64 teams for the centennial, and on 20 July 2026 its president, Alejandro Domínguez, stated on social media it would be played with 64 teams; FIFA said it would consider it, but has neither confirmed nor ruled it out, and several voices warn it would dilute the group stage. Still to be announced: the detailed calendar, the match distribution per city and the group draw, unlikely before 2029.

The six hosts —Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay— automatically qualify and skip their confederations' qualifiers: the largest share of direct berths in the tournament's history, 6 of the 48 teams (or of the 64, should the expansion be approved).

For Spain it is unprecedented: it will be the first reigning world champion to host the next edition, after winning the 2026 World Cup in the final against Argentina; no previous champion defended it at home. Automatic qualification also frees up the cycle: with no qualifiers between 2027 and 2029, the coaching staff will have more FIFA windows for tailored friendlies and Nations League continuity, aiming to reach 2030 with a settled squad.

The final's host stadium is the biggest open question, though the field is narrow: FIFA requires a minimum of 80,000 seats for the final (60,000 for semifinals), a threshold no Portuguese stadium clears —not even Estádio da Luz, the largest of the three at 68,100— so in practice it comes down to Spain (Bernabéu or Camp Nou) and Morocco (Hassan II). The then-FPF president, Fernando Gomes, said in April 2024 that Portugal would get a semifinal "alongside whichever country does not host the final"; FIFA has not formalised that assignment.

The final venue list is not settled either, nor the format (48 or 64 teams): FIFA has set no date for either decision, and past cycles suggest 2027-2028. There is also no date for ticket sales or the detailed calendar, which FIFA usually publishes one to two years ahead.