update on applications two years from its award

Qatar, navigating a sea of ​​criticism and other controversies for months, has officially closed the doors of a very beautiful football competition, won by Argentina against France in a legendary final. The keys are now in the hands of the three American countries United States, Canada and Mexico which will host the next edition in 2026. But two years before launching the next World Cup, FIFA will have to make a crucial choice by cutting the big competition for the organization of the 2030 World Cup.

“A very important element is that we have to take into consideration the health and well-being of the players, hence a four-game window, rather than two-game windows (for international breaks, editor’s note). We have to make sure there is a rest period for the players. We will consult on these topics and develop”said FIFA President Gianni Infantino shortly before the Argentina-France final, insisting at the same time on the advantages of playing a World Cup in winter, in the middle of the championship season rather “than at the end of ‘an exhausting campaign’.

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Morocco wants to give priority to the trio Spain – Portugal – Ukraine

Author of a flamboyant epic in Qatar, Morocco has won the respect and credibility of its peers on the football planet. Already a candidate five times (1994, 1998, 2006, 2010 and 2026), with a solid record that almost beat the American trio for 2026, the country of the Atlas Lions could well be tempted to apply to organize the centenary edition: “Now we seek to be a key player in the international dimension within FIFA. Morocco’s policy has made us an important partner for all African countries. We are present in partnerships in money and business, as well as in sports”, said Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), who had for a time mentioned the hypothesis of a joint file with Spain, finally left aside because of the Hispano-Moroccan diplomatic clash. But the priority for the moment on the Moroccan side remains the organization of a CAN.

The other bid to watch closely is the European association between Spain, Portugal and Ukraine. If the file originally included only the two countries of the Iberian Peninsula, the presidents of the Spanish and Portuguese federations, respectively Luis Rubiales and Fernando Gomes, announced the symbolic integration of Ukraine, then in full conflict with Russia : “It is an honor to include Ukraine in our bid. Both federations have communicated their intention to UEFA, which has given us its full support. Football is more than football. It is a logical and natural decision. We have the unconditional support of UEFA. Ukraine cannot disappear from our minds once the war is over. We have to give them hope”said Fernando Gomes, boss of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), while Luis Rubiales insisted on strengthening “ties with Europe that generate hope and provide tools for reconstruction to the Ukrainian people, who expressed their pride and gratitude for their participation in this project”.

Saudi Arabia pushes again, South America wants its party

The success of the World Cup in Qatar allowed a neighboring country to score a lot of points: Saudi Arabia, victorious against future world champions Argentina in the group stages. The Saudi file is already well developed, with the joint participation of Egypt and Greece, and continues to grow, while Gianni Infantino spoke, on several occasions during the Qatari edition, with the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who was seen sitting next to the FIFA President during several meetings of the last World Cup. It remains to be seen how the three countries will manage to finalize a coherent file, while the capital of Greece (Athens) and the capital of Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) are separated by more than 4,000 kilometers.

Apart from the possible candidacy of Morocco and the triptych Spain – Portugal – Ukraine, another candidacy has been officially filed in the offices of FIFA in Switzerland and it bears the mark of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL). A total of four countries, Uruguay – Argentina – Chile – Paraguay, have come together to propose a concrete file in order to bring the competition back to the continent where football is elevated to the rank of art and cultural object. A symbolic candidacy since the 2030 edition will mark the centenary of the competition and Uruguay hopes to organize it 100 years after the first edition on Uruguayan soil. A task that promises to be difficult since CONMEBOL only has ten votes at FIFA.

Abandoned applications

Two files have already been put in the trash. The most important being the association of the British Isles, made up of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland: “We are very, very keen to bring football home in 2030”had promised the former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in March 2021. Finally, after several feasibility studies carried out by all the British governments concerned, the federations preferred to abandon this project, as well as the heavy global competition to concentrate on the organization of Euro 2028 where this same file now points to a clear favorite.

Another claim sank due to secondment from a country involved. At the beginning of 2019, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece and Serbia (more commonly known as the Craiova Group, diplomatic and economic cooperation signed between these four countries) jointly began to work on the development of a dossier solid for the organization of Euro 2028 or the 2030 World Cup. But when Greece gave its agreement to Saudi Arabia and Egypt for a different candidacy, the one previously signed with its neighboring countries, quickly been abandoned. Other offers have expressed their interest, but they remain much less developed and should not be officially filed as the previous ones explained: “Israel – United Arab Emirates – Bahrain”; “South Korea – China – Japan – North Korea”; “Tunisia – Algeria”; “Colombia – Ecuador – Peru”; “Kazakhstan”; “Cameroon”; “Australia – Indonesia”; “Australia – New Zealand”.