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FIFA will dispatch a delegation representing its main operational departments to candidate cities and stadiums in Morocco, Portugal and Spain next month and in December as part of the ongoing venue selection process for the 2030 World Cup. These visits constitute a key phase that will allow the governing body to evaluate the state of preparations, proposed operational plans and infrastructure at each site, FIFA said in a statement. The delegation is also scheduled to hold meetings with municipal, regional and national authorities, stadium operators, transport and mobility stakeholders, accommodation providers and other key partners during the tour.[[1]](https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/fifa-visit-potential-2030-world-cup-host-cities-november-december-2026-10-27/)
The planned itinerary covers six locations in Morocco including Agadir, Casablanca, Fez, Marrakech, Rabat and Tangier along with Lisbon and Porto in Portugal. Spanish candidate cities listed by FIFA are Barcelona, Bilbao, Las Palmas, Madrid, San Sebastian, Seville and Zaragoza although the governing body noted that additional venues could be inspected if required. A Reuters report indicated that FIFA has not yet confirmed the final list of selected stadiums or the host for the tournament final, which both Spain and Morocco are seeking to stage.[[1]](https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/fifa-visit-potential-2030-world-cup-host-cities-november-december-2026-10-27/)
Allocation of matches and the category of fixtures at each venue will be determined only once the final host cities are confirmed and work on the overall tournament schedule advances further, according to FIFA. The inspections will inform decisions on which sites best meet the event’s technical and logistical demands across the three co-host nations. FIFA added that further details on the venue selection would be released in due course.[[2]](https://inside.fifa.com/tournament-organisation/news/copa-mundial-2030-sedes-seleccion-visitas-marruecos-portugal-espana)
The 2030 edition will mark the centenary of the first World Cup staged in Uruguay in 1930 with the opening three matches to be played in Montevideo, Buenos Aires and Asuncion respectively. FIFA data shows the remainder of the tournament featuring 101 matches will then shift to the main co-hosts of Morocco, Portugal and Spain which were formally selected in December 2024. This multi-continental format represents a first for the competition and aims to celebrate the event’s historical roots while utilising modern infrastructure.[[1]](https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/fifa-visit-potential-2030-world-cup-host-cities-november-december-2026-10-27/)
Proposed Moroccan venues include the new 115,000-seat Grand Stade Hassan II in Casablanca as well as upgraded grounds in Tangier, Rabat, Marrakech, Fez and Agadir according to FIFA bid documents. In Spain the list features iconic sites such as the renovated Camp Nou in Barcelona and Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid while Portugal has proposed stadiums in Lisbon and Porto with capacities ranging from 50,000 to 65,000. A review of stadium plans published by Olympics.com places the total proposed venues at 20 across the three countries before final selections are made.[[3]](https://www.olympics.com/en/news/fifa-world-cup-2030-stadiums-spain-portugal-morocco-list)
FIFA confirmed the co-hosting bid in late 2024 after it emerged as the sole candidate from UEFA and CAF following an earlier withdrawal by a rival proposal. The inspections come as the hosts continue infrastructure upgrades with Morocco budgeting nearly 2 billion dirhams for its six stadiums in the 2027 finance law a local report indicated. Outcomes from the November and December visits will shape the final host city list and help coordinate preparations for what will be the largest edition of the tournament to date.
