Where will the 2030 World Cup final be held?

  • Centennial World Cup tournament will be hosted in 2030
  • Six countries will host matches with three commemorative hosts named by FIFA
  • Santiago Bernabeu tipped as the potential stadium to host the 2030 World Cup final
The Santiago Bernabeu is a leading contender to host the 2030 World Cup
The Santiago Bernabeu is a leading contender to host the 2030 World Cup / Denis Doyle/GettyImages
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It's bound to be a spectacle when countries combine for the 2030 World Cup, the tournament's centennial celebration.

FIFA's desire to ensure the 100th anniversary of the FIFA World Cup is a special occasion has seen football's supreme governing body announce that not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, but SIX countries will host matches at the 2030 World Cup.

Here's everything you need to know about where the 2030 World Cup will be played and what stadiums could host the final.


Which countries are hosting the 2030 World Cup?

Spain, Portugal and Morocco have been confirmed as the host nations for the 2030 World Cup, but they're not the only countries that'll be organising matches.

As this is the tournament's 100th anniversary, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay have also been listed as commemorative hosts. Uruguay's capital, Montevideo, will play host to what FIFA describe as a "unique centenary celebration ceremony" as the city hosted the first-ever World Cup match in 1930.


Where will the first games of the 2030 World Cup be played?

The first three games of the tournament will take place in the aforementioned South American countries: Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed that as well as hosting a special ceremony, the first game of the 2030 World Cup will take place in Montevideo: "The first of these three matches will of course be played at the stadium where it all began, in Montevideo's mythical Estadio Centenario, precisely to celebrate the centenary edition of the FIFA World Cup."

Argentina have been chosen as a host because they were beaten by Uruguay in the 1930 World Cup final, while CONMEBOL's headquarters are based in Luque, Paraguay. These three nations will automatically qualify for the 48-team tournament and each play on home soil before travelling to the Iberian Peninsula for the remainder of the tournament.


What stadiums could host the 2030 World Cup final?

While South America will host the opening of the 2030 World Cup, the remainder will be held in Spain, Portugal and Morocco. The stadia used for the tournament are yet to be decided, but there are several options in regard to venues for the final. Here's a list of possible options.


Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain

Real Madrid v Real Zaragoza - La Liga
Real Madrid's home has undergone renovations / Julian Finney/GettyImages

It's very early doors, but Real Madrid's iconic home ground is the early favourite to host the 2030 World Cup final.

The Santiago Bernabeu recently underwent a $550m renovation which took four years to complete. The stadium's capacity has been boosted to over 85,000 and it now boasts a new wrap-around steel facade, a retractable roof and retractable pitch.

The Bernabeu hosted the 1982 World Cup final between Italy and West Germany. Should it play host to the final in 2030, it will become just the third stadium to host multiple World Cup finals.


Grand Stade de Casablanca, Morocco

Grand Stade de Casablanca is a proposed venue for the tournament and is set to become the home for Morocco's national team.

The stadium will be built ahead of the 2030 World Cup and will become Africa's largest arena boasting a capacity of 113,000. The opening of such a grand venue in Morocco was previously proposed for the 2010 and 2026 World Cups, although their bids were unsuccessful in each case.

Their joint-hosting of the 2030 tournament gives Morocco the chance to finally go ahead with the stadium's construction and it's certainly a contender to host the final.


Estádio do Dragão, Porto, Portugal

FC Porto v AS Roma - UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Second Leg
Estádio do Dragão hosted the 2021 Champions League final / Quality Sport Images/GettyImages

There are a couple of potential candidates from Portugal, although it seems unlikely that they'll host the final given the options Spain and - eventually - Morocco possess.

Nevertheless, Porto's Estádio do Dragão is certainly a candidate. It's not the biggest stadium Portugal has to offer, but it did host the 2021 Champions League final, albeit with a reduced capacity.


Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal

Euro 2004 Stadium General Views
Estádio da Luz has a similar structure to the Emirates Stadium / Mike Hewitt/GettyImages

Benfica's Estádio da Luz is a more likely option if Portugal was to host the final. This stadium, which bears an uncanny resemblance to the Emirates, home of Arsenal, has hosted numerous high-profile events.

The stadium is one of very few to host multiple Champions League finals (2014 and 2020) and also staged the final of Euro 2004 when Portugal were upset by Greece. This experience renders the Lisbon-based arena a strong candidate for hosting the 2030 World Cup final.


Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain

FC Barcelona v VfL Wolfsburg: Semi Final First Leg - UEFA Women's Champions League
Camp Nou's renovations are expected to be completed by 2026 / David Ramos/GettyImages

Once a stadium of declining quality, Camp Nou is set to be a beacon of modernity by the time the 2030 World Cup rolls around.

Barcelona have been able to finance the stadium's much-needed renovation despite their infamous monetary problems and the project is set to be fully completed by 2026. Its capacity is set to rise to 105,000, but despite the improvements, the Spanish media have suggested it's very unlikely for anywhere but the capital to host the final should it be held in Spain.


2030 World Cup potential venues

Stadium

City

Country

Capacity

Camp Nou

Barcelona

Spain

115,000*

RCDE Stadium

Barcelona

Spain

40,000

Santiago Bernabeu

Madrid

Spain

84,744

Wanda Metropolitano

Madrid

Spain

70,460

Mestalla

Valencia

Spain

70,000

San Mames

Bilbao

Spain

53,289

Nueva Condomina

Murcia

Spain

42,000*

La Rosaleda

Malaga

Spain

45,000*

La Romareda

Zaragoza

Spain

42,500*

Balaidos

Vigo

Spain

41,900

Riazor

La Coruna

Spain

48,000

Estadio Gran Canaria

Las Palmas

Spain

44,682

Anoeta Stadium

San Sebastian

Spain

40,000

El Molinon

Gijon

Spain

29,029

La Cartuja

Seville

Spain

60,721

Estadio Jose Alvalade

Lisbon

Portugal

50,095

Estadio da Luz

Lisbon

Portugal

64,642

Estadio do Dragao

Porto

Portugal

50,033

Grand Stade de Casablanca

Casablanca

Morocco

93,000*

Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium

Rabat

Morocco

69,500*

Ibn Batouta Stadium

Tangier

Morocco

88,000*

Adrar Stadium

Agadir

Morocco

45,480

Marrakesh Stadium

Marrakech

Morocco

70,000*

Fez Stadium

Fes

Morocco

45,000

Antonio Vespucio Liberti

Buenos Aires

Argentina

83,000

Estadio Conmebol

Luque

Paraguay

83,000

Centenario

Montevideo

Uruguay

60,000

*projected capacities for the 2030 World Cup