World football governing body, FIFA, has announced Spain, Portugal and Morocco as the three joint hosts for the 2030 World Cup and Saudi Arabia as the host nation for the 2034 tournament following a virtual congress on Wednesday.

The decisions were made on Wednesday as all the 211 FIFA Member Associations convened in a virtual Extraordinary FIFA Congress where the hosts for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups were appointed by acclamation. 

Spain, Portugal and Morocco will jointly host the 2030 tournament but with three centenary celebration matches to be held in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay (one in each country) in what would make the tournament the first FIFA World Cup to be played in three continents.

The tournament would be the first time the World Cup will be making a return to Africa following the 2010 edition hosted in South Africa.

Meanwhile, the World Cup will head to Saudi Arabia in 2034 after all confederations supported the country’s sole bid to stage the tournament with a view of providing harmony and rotation between the confederations in relation to the hosting cycle for the tournament.

Addressing the congress after the appointment of hosts for the two tournaments, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said, “The FIFA World Cup is unique, and it is a unique catalyst as well for positive social change and unity because these tournaments, 2030, the celebration, 2034 – they are tournaments to unite, not to divide.”

“They are tournaments, of course, to discuss, to debate and to act. But most importantly, today is a day of unity and a day of celebration,” Mr Infantino said. 

“Seven countries have won their World Cup today. Congratulations to Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Saudi Arabia. This is your day. So, you should celebrate and we celebrate, of course, with you.”