The 2026 FIFA World Cup will occur in North America, with Canada, Mexico and the United States sharing hosting duties. But the tournament taking place in 2030 is going to have plenty of bidders as it’s yet to be awarded to any country.
However, bidders are beginning to step forward to ensure their country gets the tournament, but that could see Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo actively going against their home nations’ quest to win the bid to host the World Cup in 2030.
“Now a pretty staggering situation where both Messi and Ronaldo are doing much to promote a state that will rival their own countries (Portugal part of a bid with Spain and Ukraine) for the 2030 World Cup,” The Athletic’s Adam Crafton tweeted Friday.
Ukraine has joined Spain and Portugal in their bid to host in eight years, bringing the event back to Europe after Russia hosted the competition in 2018.
Meanwhile, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Paraguay — launched their bid to stage the competition, which could bring the World Cup back to South America for the first time since 2014, when Brazil served as host.
But all these bidders will also be going up against Saudi Arabia, which in May, Messi signed an agreement to boost the country’s profile, and within months, the nation started hinting at its 2030 bid.
Furthermore, with Ronaldo signing with Al-Nassr, he will have commercial agreements as part of the two-and-a-half-year contract that could be worth €200 million.
As a result, Argentina and Portugal will have to go forth with their bids knowing the best players in their countries’ history are going to be helping another nation with their submission.
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