What's happened
Spain, Portugal, and Morocco will co-host the 2030 World Cup, with the opening three matches to be played in South America to mark the centenary of the original tournament in Uruguay.
Why it matters
This is significant as it marks the first time the World Cup will be co-hosted by three continents, with the addition of South America adding historical and symbolic significance to the tournament.
What the papers say
The Times reports that the 2030 World Cup will be held in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with three matches played in South America to mark the centenary of the original tournament in Uruguay. The Independent and AP News also confirm the unique hosting arrangement, emphasizing the historical significance of the tournament's location and the inclusion of South America.
How we got here
The decision to co-host the 2030 World Cup in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with the opening matches in South America, follows an agreement reached between FIFA and football's continental leaders to accept only one candidate for hosting the tournament.
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Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southwestern Europe with some pockets of territory across the Strait of Gibraltar and the Atlantic Ocean. Its continental European territory is situated on the Iberian Peninsula.
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Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, with land borders with Algeria to the east and Western Sahara to th
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The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, the sport's global governin
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Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country located mostly on the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the westernmost sovereign state of mainland Europe, being bordered to the west and south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the nor
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Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in the southeastern region of South America. It borders Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and east, with the Río de la Plata to the south and the Atlantic Ocean
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FIFA is a non-profit organization which describes itself as an international governing body of association football, fútsal, beach soccer, and efootball. It is the highest governing body of football.
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Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest.