)
The excitement surrounding the World Cup extends far beyond the cheers and celebrations that follow the crowning of the winning team. That palpable thrill, which ignites with each exhilarating elimination match, was reignited this week with a landmark announcement from the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). On Wednesday, FIFA unveiled the host nations for the much-anticipated World Cups of 2030 and 2034.
For the 2030 tournament, Spain, Morocco, and Portugal will jointly host the event, featuring 17 cities and 20 stadiums, where matches will unfold from June 13 to July 21. In a nod to history, unique matches will also take place in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay to celebrate the centenary of the first World Cup, held in Uruguay in 1930. These matches are scheduled for June 8 and 9 at notable venues, including the Defensores del Chaco in Asunción, the Nuevo Estadio Nacional in Asunción, Monumental in Buenos Aires, and the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo.
Saudi Arabia has been confirmed as the host nation for the 2034 World Cup. Although a specific timeline hasn’t been established yet, plans include five venues and 15 stadiums, with one of the highlights being the King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh.
This impressive stadium is expected to accommodate over 92,000 fans and serve as the stage for both the opening and closing ceremonies.
Meanwhile, football enthusiasts are gearing up for the next exciting chapter—the 2026 World Cup. This tournament will mark a historic first, as it will be co-hosted by Mexico, the United States, and Canada, featuring 48 teams from around the globe. The qualifying rounds will span from March 2025 to March 2026, leading up to the tournament, which will commence on Thursday, June 11, 2026, and conclude on Sunday, July 19.
A total of 140 matches are set to be played, ensuring an unforgettable experience for fans everywhere.
Lionel Messi and the Argentina National Soccer team secured the victory in one of the most impressive matches during the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Messi, the team’s captain, thanked their supporters on social media.
“From Grandoli to the World Cup in Qatar, almost 30 years have passed,” Messi began, referring to the neighborhood in the city of Rosario, where he is from. “It was close to three decades in which the soccer ball gave me many joys and some sadness. I always dreamed of being a World Champion, and I didn’t want to stop trying, even knowing that it might never happen”, he added.
The 35-year-old professional soccer player also shared a video that includes a fragment of an interview from when he was just a child. During the clip, Messi confessed that his biggest dream was to play with Argentina’s national team.
“This Cup that we won is also for all those who did not achieve it in the previous World Cups that we played, like in 2014 in Brazil, where everyone deserved it because of how they fought until the very final, worked hard, and wanted it as much as I did… And then we deserved even in that damn final”, he continued in his message.
In a nerve-wracking match in Qatar, Argentina and France faced off for over 90 minutes. Led by Lionel Messi, the Argentinian team broke the 3-3 score on penalties, winning 4-2. This was the first time in over thirty years that Argentinians got to flood the nation’s streets after a World Cup win. The last time the country had the trophy was when late soccer player Diego Maradona led the team to victory in Mexico in 1986.
