The vote to decide the hosts for the 2030 FIFA World Cup has been postponed from the third quarter of 2024 to the final quarter of the year, the global football governing body announced on Friday.

"To ensure additional consultation with all key stakeholders, in relation to the FIFA World Cup 2030™, which will mark the centenary of men's football's showpiece tournament, the FIFA Council agreed to postpone the formal launch of the bidding process," FIFA said in a statement.

"Therefore, the relevant Bidding Regulations will be presented for approval at the next FIFA Council meeting, due to take place in September/October 2023, with the bidding process to be officially launched thereafter. The expected appointment of the host(s) by the FIFA Congress will also move from Q3 2024 to Q4 2024," the organization added.

Earlier this week, media in Greece reported that Saudi Arabia, who had been working with Greece and Egypt to jointly bid for the 2030 World Cup, decided to withdraw.

If the unprecedented three-continent hosting plan is canceled, there will be two joint bids left on the table: one launched by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, the other by Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay.

Like the 2026 World Cup, the 2030 edition of the tournament will have 48 teams competing in 104 games. According to the Associated Press, even if the South American four-nation combination loses the race, some of the games could take place at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay, the inaugural host for the World Cup in 1930.

FIFA also revealed that the vote to decide the host(s) for the 2027 Women's World Cup will take place at its annual meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 17, 2024. There are four bids for the tournament: Brazil, South Africa, a joint bid by Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, as well as another joint bid by the United States and Mexico.