The 2030 World Cup will be like no other: 100 years after the first tournament in Uruguay in 1930, FIFA is hosting an anniversary tournament to be played across three continents. The main host countries are Spain, Portugal and Morocco, but FIFA has decided to also honor the origins of World Cup history: Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will each host a group stage match. The opening match is scheduled for the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, the same stadium where the first World Cup final took place in 1930.
For the South American World Cup qualification, this constellation brings a special feature. Following the FIFA Council decision from October 2023, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay are automatically qualified for the 2030 World Cup as hosts of their respective anniversary matches. They therefore do not need to – contrary to what has sometimes been suggested – prove themselves sportily through CONMEBOL qualification, but are already secured spots.
This means Argentina enters in a special role: the 2022 World Champion is also a co-host with a guaranteed starting spot. Brazil, on the other hand, is not a co-host and must continue to qualify regularly through CONMEBOL qualification – an athletically unusual status, especially since Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay – three direct neighbors and rivals – are already certain to participate before the first qualification match is even played.
The format of South American qualification remains fundamentally unchanged: all ten CONMEBOL nations play in a single group against each other in home-and-away matches. With the World Cup expanded to 48 teams, South America is generally entitled to six direct starting spots, plus a seventh spot via intercontinental playoffs. However, since Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay are already automatically qualified, their three starting spots are deducted from the regular CONMEBOL allocation. This leaves the remaining seven nations with three direct starting spots and one playoff ticket. Overall, a maximum of seven of the ten CONMEBOL nations can participate in the tournament. Nevertheless, the number of World Cup participants from South America remains relatively high. For nations like Venezuela, which have never participated in a World Cup, this continues to offer a realistic chance. Details on dates can be found in the qualification schedule.
For Argentina, the sporting question arises of how Lionel Scaloni will transition the golden generation around Lionel Messi in the coming years. Messi, who will probably have played his last World Cup in 2026, is unlikely to be active in 2030 – although he has not publicly committed to this definitively. Brazil, meanwhile, is undergoing a transition: after disappointing years and several coaching changes, a new generation featuring players like Vinícius Júnior and Endrick is to lead the Seleção back to the top. Current developments surrounding squads and matches can be followed in our News.
A nice fun fact on the side: Uruguay won the very first World Cup final in 1930 with a 4-2 victory over Argentina. 100 years later, both nations enter as co-hosts of this anniversary tournament – a constellation with historical significance. A direct match on the pitch in 2030 would only occur at the earliest in the knockout stage, however, as the three South American hosts will be drawn into different group stage groups to enable them to host their respective home matches. Those who wish to follow the current form of the teams are recommended to take a look at the FIFA World Rankings, where Argentina and Brazil are traditionally placed at the top.
CONMEBOL qualification for the 2030 World Cup thus promises a mix of sporting suspense, historical symbolism and organizational uniqueness – a worthy prelude to the anniversary tournament.