On the sidelines of the Paris Olympics, FIFA has been engaging with potential hosts for future men’s World Cups. On Monday, the organization announced receiving formal bid books from seven federations vying for the 2030 and 2034 tournaments.
For the 2030 World Cup, a joint bid from Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, along with South American nations Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, is in the running. Each country will host one of the 104 matches.
Saudi Arabia stands as the sole candidate for the 2034 World Cup, a tournament FIFA expedited last year.
A decision on the winning bids is slated for December 11th, during an online meeting of FIFA’s 211 member federations. Before then, FIFA will thoroughly review detailed project plans, spanning hundreds of pages, expected to be published later this week. These plans cover crucial aspects like stadiums, hotels, training facilities, transportation, and national security.
FIFA’s statement highlighted a comprehensive assessment of the bid books, with an evaluation report scheduled for release in the final quarter of the year.
In a significant development, FIFA has mandated a human rights assessment for all World Cup bidders. This evaluation, conducted in collaboration with independent experts, was initiated in May and marks the first time FIFA has implemented such scrutiny for World Cup hosts. The policy was introduced in 2015 following the controversial awards of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments to Russia and Qatar, respectively.
The United States, Canada, and Mexico secured the hosting rights for the 2026 World Cup, a historic event marked by its expansion to 48 teams. This tri-nation bid triumphed over Morocco in a decisive 2018 vote held in Moscow.
