Future World Cup hosts set – but will America land 2038 tournament?

America has officially caught World Cup fever – so far, more than 4.6 million fans have attended matches across North America, with U.S. stadiums driving the tournament to a new all-time attendance record. This figure excludes the thousands who attended FIFA Fan Fest activities in each host city.

Might this turnout propel the United States to host another World Cup in the near future? With Brazil set to host the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, here is a look at the host nations for upcoming tournaments and the chances America is selected again.

Which nations will host the 2030 men's World Cup?

FIFA confirmed Morocco, Portugal and Spain will host the 2030 men's World Cup. It has been 48 years since Spain last hosted the tournament. The 2030 edition will also celebrate the 100th anniversary of the World Cup.

FIFA has not yet officially announced which South American stadiums or arenas would be used for the 2030 World Cup, but the official Olympics website lists several potential sites. According to USA TODAY reporting, the 2030 World Cup will begin on Saturday, June 8, 2030, and end on Sunday, July 21. The schedule is not finalized, but FIFA says it plans to build in generous buffer time around those South America games – roughly 11 to 12 days for travel and recovery before the second match for the six teams playing there, and about five to six days of travel and rest for their six group-stage opponents.

2034 World Cup returns to the Middle East

FIFA is bringing the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia – a dozen years after Qatar hosted the 2022 tournament. Locations for Saudi 34 have not been announced, but there are a few arenas and stadiums that may be selected. Saudi Arabia's bid envisions 15 stadiums across five host cities – including Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha and the new NEOM development – with a mix of renovated arenas and brand-new builds designed specifically for the 2034 tournament. Plans call for a flagship King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh for the opening match and final, plus a striking NEOM Stadium integrated into The Line mega-project, alongside a dozen other venues.

Can America host the 2038 World Cup?

With the 2038 World Cup a decade away, FIFA has not opened a formal bidding process and no host country has been selected. Under current rotation rules, regions hosting in 2030 and 2034 are generally expected to sit out the next cycle, which would leave North America and Oceania as the most likely contenders for 2038.

Andrew Giuliani – who leads the White House's World Cup task force – has already started talking publicly about the United States considering a bid for the men's 2038 World Cup. He argues that no country is better positioned to stage an expanded tournament after hosting the World Cup this year and welcoming the Summer Olympics in 2028. It is unknown if Philadelphia – host to several exciting group and knockout matches – or New York City – which will feature the FIFA 26 final later this month – would again be named World Cup cities if the U.S. secures the 2038 tournament.

This article is based on reporting by Damon C. Williams, a Philadelphia-based journalist for the USA Today Network, and adapted for the Guyana Herald by Adrian Singh.