The dust has barely settled on this year’s celebrations, but the spotlight is already moving towards the 2030 World Cup Spain, with preparations beginning for one of football’s most anticipated tournaments.
The newly crowned champions will have the chance to defend their title in
2030, when Spain will co-host the competition with Portugal and Morocco.
The tournament will make history as the first World Cup shared between three continents.
Special opening matches will also take place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first FIFA World Cup in 1930.
For Spanish football fans, the event will mark the country’s return as a World Cup host for the first time since 1982.
Nine Spanish stadiums selected
Spain will provide nine of the 20 proposed venues for the tournament.
The stadiums are located in some of the country’s biggest football cities.
The selected Spanish venues are:
- Camp Nou, Barcelona, with a capacity of 105,000
- Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, with a capacity of 83,186
- Estadio Metropolitano, Madrid, with a capacity of 70,692
- La Cartuja Stadium, Seville, with a capacity of 70,000
- San Mamés, Bilbao, with a capacity of 53,331
- Estadio Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, with a capacity of 44,500
- Nueva Romareda, Zaragoza, with a capacity of 43,110
- Anoeta Stadium, San Sebastián, with a capacity of 42,300
- RCDE Stadium, Cornellà de Llobregat, Barcelona, with a capacity of 40,500
Together with stadiums in Portugal and Morocco, these venues will host the expanded 48-team tournament.
The competition is expected to feature more than 100 matches across six weeks.
A World Cup with a historic opening
Spain, Portugal and Morocco will be the main hosts, but the opening week will follow a unique format.
The first three matches will take place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
The games will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup, which began in Montevideo in 1930.
After those opening fixtures, the tournament will continue across Europe and North Africa.
All six host nations will qualify automatically.
The 2030 World Cup is scheduled to begin in early June. The final is expected to take place on July 21.
Which stadium will host the final?
The location of the World Cup final remains one of the biggest unanswered questions.
Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu is considered one of the strongest candidates. The stadium holds more than 83,000 fans and already has World Cup history, having hosted the 1982 final.
However, other venues are also in contention.
Barcelona’s renovated Camp Nou will become Europe’s largest football stadium once work is complete.
Morocco is also promoting the new Hassan II Stadium near Casablanca. The planned venue could hold around 115,000 spectators if completed on time.
FIFA has not yet announced the final venue.
Spain prepares for another football summer
The 2030 World Cup will be the second tournament to feature 48 teams after the new format began in 2026.
FIFA has also considered expanding the competition further to 64 teams for the centenary edition.
Whatever format is chosen, Spain will enter the tournament with extra pressure. The country will arrive as defending champions and one of the hosts.
For supporters, the tournament will bring the world’s best teams back to Spanish stadiums. Cities across the country are already beginning the countdown to welcoming millions of football fans from around the world.
