2023-10-06 17:00:00
Once again, the International Football Federation (Fifa) and its president, the Swiss Gianni Infantino, have managed to surprise the whole world. Two candidacy files faced each other to organize the 2030 World Cup: on one side, a Spain-Portugal-Morocco trio and, on the other, a South American candidacy with Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. The decision was only to be made in December 2024 during the International Federation congress.
But Fifa, to satisfy everyone, chose not to choose. In a surprise press release published on October 4, she officially announced that there was simply no longer any match concerning her organization. The 2030 World Cup will therefore take place on three continents and six countries, a first. “In a divided world, FIFA and football bring unity,” said Gianni Infantino.
In detail, 101 of the 104 matches of the competition (from 2026, 48 countries will play the World Cup), as well as the opening ceremony will take place between Europe (Spain and Portugal) and Africa (Morocco ). After five failures, the kingdom of Mohammed VI will finally be able to host the World Cup and is already dreaming of hosting the opening match of the competition. But to celebrate the centenary of the greatest sporting competition in the world, Fifa has decided that the first three matches will be played in South America: one match in Argentina, another in Paraguay and a last one in Uruguay, accompanied by a tribute ceremony to the first World Cup in history, which took place there in 1930. These six countries – as well as a possible seventh if the winner of the 2026 World Cup is not one of them – are automatically qualified for the competition.
A surprise announcement, without journalists
“The timing of Fifa’s announcement is surprising,” reacts sports geopolitics specialist Jean-Baptiste Guégan. No one expected it at that time. Especially since the announcement was made during a council of the institution and not a congress, where the press could not be present. Which can always raise some suspicions…” Kévin Veyssière, founder of FC Geopolitics, adds: “After the controversies of 2010 linked to the attributions of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, the selection process was particularly scrutinized. But here, it seems like a decision in isolation, between four walls. »
READ ALSO Saudi Arabia breaks world football’s bankThe organization of the 2030 World Cup on three continents (Europe, South America and Africa) indirectly makes another happy person: Saudi Arabia. Indeed, taking into account the principle of rotation of continents for the organization of the high mass of world football – remember that the 2026 edition is organized in Central and North America – the 2034 edition will be held in Asia or in Oceania, as recalled in the FIFA press release, which “invites only associations affiliated with the Asian Football Confederation and the Oceanic Football Confederation to apply”.
This is how, less than two hours after Fifa’s announcement, the Saudi Football Federation published a press release to in turn announce its candidacy… for 2034: “Saudi Arabia plans to offer a world class and will draw inspiration from the ongoing social and economic transformation, and the passion for football deeply rooted in the country. »
Saudi Arabia or China?
Such close timing which raises questions about possible agreements ahead of the announcement to keep the surprise. “We must see the issue from an economic and political prism. For Gianni Infantino, it is a way of securing his place at the head of Fifa, analyzes Jean-Baptiste Guégan. It satisfies all the international confederations and therefore reduces the number of contenders for its succession. » Like the president of UEFA, Aleksander Ceferin, whose relations with the president of Fifa, re-elected in March for four years, are polar…
READ ALSO In the Maghreb, like an air of revenge for Qatar “In addition, this allows him to have a free hand for 2034, designating Saudi Arabia as the ideal candidate with its recent investments in football this summer,” continues Jean-Baptiste Guégan. At the same time, I find it difficult to see Australia or New Zealand getting started… I will have a small reservation: everyone seems to forget China, which, after the Covid crisis of 2019, is slowly making its return to the international sporting scene. Gianni Infantino will have his heart torn between Saudi Arabia and China if there were to be competition between these two. »
On the South American side, we are fully satisfied with the decision. “It’s a day of celebration for Conmebol [la confédération sud-américaine, NDLR] and I think this feeling is shared by the entire continent,” reacted its president Alejandro Dominguez. However, by only hosting three matches out of the 104 planned, South America is depriving itself of the full organization of a World Cup until 2038, or even 2042, while the last international competition dates back to 2014 in Brazil.
I regret that there are institutions that operate in such an unserious and surprising way.Gabriel Boric, Chilean head of state
There are still two countries that Fifa’s decision of October 4 does not delight. First Chile, which simply disappeared from the original South American candidacy and whose name is never mentioned in the press release. During a press conference, Chilean President Gabriel Boric was moved: “I regret that there are institutions that operate in such an unserious and surprising way. » The head of state indicated that he had spoken with his Argentine and Paraguayan counterparts, who told him that they had not been aware of Fifa’s decision before its officialization. “We are going to ensure that Chile can benefit from everything it deserves, because we are not playing with Chilean national integrity. »
The other unhappy person is Ukraine. In 2022, before Morocco joined them, the Spain-Portugal tandem had considered the possibility of organizing the competition with the Eastern European country which had entered into war with Russia. But the project did not go further than this declaration of intent.
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