Only two European countries will be absent from the 2030 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign after securing automatic places in the tournament as co-hosts.
The two nations are Spain and Portugal, who will stage the 2030 World Cup alongside Morocco.
FIFA has confirmed that the three main hosts — Spain, Portugal and Morocco — will qualify automatically for the tournament.
Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will also receive automatic qualification because they will host the opening matches as part of the centenary celebrations of the first World Cup.
Spain
Spain will not have to go through the UEFA qualifying process for the 2030 World Cup.
The country is one of the three main hosts of the tournament and will stage a large portion of the competition, alongside Portugal and Morocco.
As a result, Spain’s place at the 2030 finals is already secured, meaning the national team will not compete for a qualifying spot.
Portugal
Portugal is the second European country guaranteed a place at the 2030 World Cup without going through qualifiers.
The country will co-host the tournament with Spain and Morocco, giving the Portuguese national team automatic qualification.
Portugal will therefore be absent from the European qualifying race, although it will still be one of the teams competing at the finals in 2030.
Why Spain and Portugal are not in the qualifiers
The decision is linked to their status as hosts.
FIFA traditionally grants automatic qualification to World Cup hosts, allowing them to take part in the tournament without having to earn their place through qualifying matches.
For 2030, the arrangement is unusual because six countries will benefit from automatic qualification.
Spain, Portugal and Morocco are the main tournament hosts, while Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay will stage the three centenary matches marking 100 years since the inaugural World Cup in Uruguay in 1930.
Full list of European countries not participating in 2030 World Cup qualifiers
- Spain – Automatic qualification as a main host
- Portugal – Automatic qualification as a main host
The remaining European national teams will have to compete for their places through the UEFA qualification process.
UEFA has already announced plans for a new qualifying format for the 2030 World Cup, with the European qualification system set to move towards a Champions League-style structure.
With Spain and Portugal already guaranteed places, the qualifying campaign will therefore have fewer European teams competing for the available World Cup berths.
The 2030 World Cup will be played across Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay hosting the three opening centenary fixtures.
Vanguard News
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