Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay granted automatic qualification for 2030 FIFA World Cup

The FIFA announced on Thursday that the host nations of the first three matches of the 2030 FIFA World Cup in football—Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay—will automatically qualify for the tournament's finals. This decision follows a similar ruling for the three co-hosting nations, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.

If the technical criteria are met and the continental format is officially approved by the end of 2024, six teams will secure automatic berths out of the 48 participating teams.

In its unexpected announcement on Wednesday, FIFA only confirmed automatic qualification for the sole approved bid, Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. However, on Thursday, FIFA clarified to AFP that the three South American countries will also benefit from direct qualification.

With the expansion of teams from 32 to 48 for the 2026 World Cup, three out of the six slots reserved for the South American continent will be automatically allocated. CONMEBOL (South American Football Confederation) can earn an additional slot through an international playoff.

Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay will host the first three matches of the 2030 finals as part of the centennial celebration of the inaugural World Cup held in Montevideo, making it the first World Cup in history to feature matches on three different continents.


AFP