World football's governing body FIFA continues to astound with its seeming indifference towards the welfare of players and supporters, as it has decided that the centenary edition of the 2030 World Cup will encompass a unique spectacle spanning six countries across three continents. 

This unforeseen and intricate modification to its customary structure received official endorsement during a meeting of FIFA's governing council on Wednesday. 

In this bizarre arrangement, Spain, Portugal and Morocco will jointly serve as hosts for the tournament, while Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina will each have the honor of staging an opening match. This symbolic act commemorates the centenary of the inaugural World Cup, which was both hosted and won by Uruguay in 1930. 

In an initial display of regional unity, the six countries collaborated separately in their bids to secure the hosting rights for the 2030 World Cup. The South American nations' proposition faced competition from the three-nation bid presented by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.  

However, in a surprising turn of events, the latter emerged as the sole bidder for the 2030 edition, a decision announced on Wednesday. Yet, to celebrate the tournament's centenary, each participating nation will now have the opportunity to fulfill the role of a host. The decision is poised to receive official ratification at the FIFA congress next year.

Fierce backlash 

Never before has the World Cup been contested across multiple continents and the suggestion of a tournament traversing vast distances has left many stakeholders in a state of profound shock. 

Undertaking a 12,000-mile round trip from Europe or North Africa to Buenos Aires would not only incur exorbitant costs but also dilute the vibrant atmosphere that characterizes single-nation tournaments. This perplexing arrangement, which defies conventional logic, naturally prompts the question: What on earth was FIFA thinking?  

"FIFA continues its cycle of destruction against the greatest tournament on earth," fumed prominent fan network 'Football Supporters Europe' on X. "Horrendous for supporters, disregards the environment... It's the end of the World Cup as we know it." 

The sentiment was echoed by Katie Cross, CEO and founder of Pledgeball, a fan charity advocating for enhanced sustainability in football. "This is FIFA showing complete disregard for fans as fans and fans as humans," she said. 

Frank Huisingh, founder of Fossil Free Football, added in a statement, "We know FIFA's track record and we know they want to go for big tournaments with a lot of fan travel and a lot of emissions. It is just a very bad idea."

Saudi Arabia in the ring

FIFA, in addition, has confirmed that only bids from countries affiliated with the Asian Football Confederation and the Oceania Football Confederation will be taken into consideration for the 2034 finals.  

This development seemingly clears the path for Saudi Arabia to potentially become the host nation. And, within a matter of hours, the Gulf kingdom wasted no time and unveiled its bid for the tournament. 

Saudi Arabia has already been granted the privilege of hosting the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup, scheduled to take place in Jeddah in December, as well as the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. The decision to bid for the World Cup aligns perfectly with their aspiration to establish itself as a global sports leader.  

Since 2018, the country has successfully organized various sporting events, ranging from football and Formula 1 to golf and boxing, further solidifying its position in the realm of international sports. 

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, Saudi Arabia's Olympic and Paralympic chief, declared that the World Cup bid "constitutes an important and natural step in our journey as a country passionate about football."