A unique and historic turn of events is on the horizon for the 2030 World Cup, set to be played across Europe, Africa, and South America, all in celebration of the tournament’s 100th birthday in Uruguay.

In a groundbreaking move, FIFA announced on Wednesday that an agreement had been reached among soccer’s continental leaders to consider only one candidate for hosting the 2030 World Cup. The Spain-Portugal bid, which had previously expanded to include Morocco, has now further evolved to include their long-time bid rivals: Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

The true allure of this unprecedented three-continent endeavor lies in its plan to kick off the tournament in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, where the historic Centenario Stadium bore witness to the inaugural 1930 World Cup final. Alejandro Dominguez, the president of the South American soccer body CONMEBOL, underlined the significance of this decision, stating, “The centennial World Cup could not be far from South America, where everything began. The 2030 World Cup will be played in three continents.”

The consensus achieved among continents that were once soccer rivals also allows FIFA to expedite the opening of the bidding process for the 2034 World Cup. This bid will be limited to member federations from Asia and Oceania. Saudi Arabia has already expressed its interest in hosting the 2034 edition, with Australia considering its options as well, following their successful co-hosting of the Women’s World Cup alongside New Zealand earlier this year. Notably, the 2034 tournament is likely to be held in November and December, similar to the schedule of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

While the unified 2030 candidacy has received preliminary acceptance from the FIFA Council, the formal approval is still pending and is expected to be granted next year at a meeting involving the 211 member federations—a mere formality at this point.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino celebrated this groundbreaking decision, stating, “In 2030, we will have a unique global footprint, three continents—Africa, Europe, and South America—six countries—Argentina, Morocco, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain, and Uruguay—welcoming and uniting the world while celebrating together the beautiful game, the centenary, and the FIFA World Cup.”

The 2030 World Cup, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches, is scheduled for June and July 2030. It is planned to commence with games in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay before moving to the core host nations of Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, a concept that will involve an unprecedented amount of travel across varying distances and time zones.

This South American co-host bid has been in the works since the 2018 World Cup in Russia and initially included Chile, though the latter’s role in the bid was not mentioned in the recent announcement. Furthermore, Ukraine, which had been added to the European bid last year, is no longer part of the equation, despite previous discussions.

The 2030 World Cup, a testament to the global love for soccer, is set to be a celebration of the sport’s legacy, uniting nations and continents in the spirit of competition and camaraderie. This unique and ambitious project, spanning three continents, is poised to make history in the world of soccer.