Hospitality stadia were announced of where a world event in six years time will be played

Instead of staging it onto one, the 'experts' of the world football organization have assigned the World Cup 2030 competition to be on three confederations (now it is a matter of time when all 6 of them would be host). How will that reflect on the play itself and if tiredness be a big issue here each one of us have to wait for 6 years, however from now 17 arenas have been disclosed on where the teams are going to entertain us for that championship.

On the African continent, the host Morocco have chosen 6 stadia. Rabat, Tangier, Agadir, Marrakesh, Fez and Casablanca are the cities that will welcome the teams. In the European part Spain has selected 11 terrains.

All venues were picked based on technical, financial and operational criteria.

What are their names, in which cities are located...all that information can be found on the website of the mentioned organization from 19 July.

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Revealed layout from a future event

At 04 February the organizers of the next World Cup have shared a valuable information about which stadia will be used for the 2026 edition. Knowing that the schedule (which can be downloadable) is already known, from that point of view the only one that is missing are the participating teams.

For the first time: three countries are going to host the event, 48 teams are going to entertain us instead of 32, and massive 104 duels would be played compared with the last 7 tournaments where were "only" 64. All that is going to happen from 11 June to 19 July, and that is translated to 38 nights or 34 that players are going to be on active duty together with 4 nights of rest. On top of that we have to manage to remember 12 groups.

Three towns in Mexico, three in Canada and eleven in the United states of America will be proud hosts of the competition. Estadio Azteca situated in the first written country is designated to open this party. On this famous stadium the 1970 and 1986 tournaments from this category were also opened and closed as well. During the games, spectators would have to travel back and forth throughout North and Central America, so at the end (one month and eight nights later) their final stop will be at the New Jersey arena in New York.

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An only nominee means automatically winning the hospitality

On 31 October has expired the deadline for interested parties to host the World Cup competition in 2034. Because Australia has pulled out of the race in the last minute, they practically did a favour to another fellow association and only candidate Saudi Arabia to stage the show in 11 years time on their soil. The official decision and confirmation would be made next year. It means that after 2022 the biggest sports event in the world is going to be back playing it in Asia, but for the first time with 48 teams.

Because highest temperatures is causing problems in Middle East on summer, the biggest country in the region claims that it will not be moved to winter season like last year and should be organized as scheduled. That can be done with the help of new technologies in terms to cool down the air and everyone feeling comfortable on stadia. For the time being they have no intention of finding a partner to co-host this tournament together with a neighbouring nation.

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Global event would be played on three continents

It is only a matter of time where every country in the globe simultaneously will have to host the World Cup (meaning that qualifiers for the same event might be omitted).

Instead of giving the 2030 to one continent or country / countries, on 04 October the world football organization has announced that the final tournament is going to be staged in three confederations. To mark the 100 year birth of the competition South America would kick off the event, and those six 'lucky' teams who will play the first three games in Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina would have to travel all over to the other side of the globe to finish what it started. Because of the 'closeness' with Morocco, Portugal and Spain the sextet would have 12 to 13 days rest before the second group phase matches.

For the first time three continents and the six mentioned nations would organize the most significant event of this sport from 08 June until 21 July or the edition number 24 will last of up to 43 nights in 7 years time. But, this excessively stupid idea still has to be officially confirmed at the Congress (somewhere) in 2024.

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United logo revealed

For the first time in history of the World Cup three countries are going to host the event in 2026. With the help of several agencies, and under the name "We are 26" the world football organization last Wednesday has unveiled the logo for the spectacle that will begin in three years from now.

However, majority of the fans do not like this logo, gave negative comments about it as are saying that the design is uninspiring, too simple, disappointing, creators have no imagination, lack of creativity, very cheap, little kids can do this as well in elementary school....

Also two dates were confirmed for this event: 25 May has been set as the deadline where coaches of the 48 teams would have to give their final list of players who will participate in the competition, and the last game itself (grand finale) would be played on Sunday, 19 July.

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Format changed for advancing into next round

The expanded World Cup in 2026 will be with 48 teams and from last Thursday it was confirmed how they will be divided. In the Rwandan capital Kigali it was decided that in the group stage 12 of them would be formed with four teams each. At the first knockout round (last 32) the first two teams are guaranteed a place together with eight best that occupied third position. Up until the final (plus the classification pair for third-fourth spot) each team is going to play eight games instead of current seven. Competition will last for 39 nights (breaks included) or from 11 June as far as 19 July.

Forty new matches are going to appear as well because from 64 this number will rise up to 104 in total (for the whole event). With more duels played, of course, that there would be also an additional income for the world football organization (mainly coming from sold tickets).

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Impressive figures

According to Nielsen, a research that was done for the world football organization shows some magnificent numbers for the World Cup event who completed in 2022.

In a report from 18 January it was announced that around 5 billion people were involved during the biggest sport competition on earth. The real boom comes from social media: of where it had been exploded with posts - 93.6 million on all platforms, 262 billion on cumulative basis and 5.95 billion engagements. Game number 64 (final) has been reached to 1.5 billion viewers worldwide, while everything started with over 550 million people who watched the first duel last November.

Of a total number - 3.4 million fans were registered all together, and this has surpassed the 2018 event when were present 3 million people. And at the end of this remarkable story it finishes of how footballers was in the mood to give us another record: the ball had been 171 times behind goalkeepers in the competitions of 1998 and 2014, while in Qatar 2022 each of us have seen 1 more goal (172 or 168 scored in 90 minutes plus 4 in extra time).

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Special reward has just give basis for something else

We know that Argentina are the new world champions at the old 2022. Besides the trophy and promised money for lifting it, the team got an additional 9.2 million euros from the South American confederation. This special reward was promised back in April of last year by Alejandro Dominguez as the 50-year-old was re-elected for the presidential post. In total, this triumph is the tenth World Cup that any South American nation has brought it to the region: apart from 1978 and 1986 from the fresh winners, Uruguay has lifted the title in 1930 together with 1950 plus the five-time champions Brazil at 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.

According to the boss, the latest champions has just give the basis that this competition must return home where it all started (at 1930 in Uruguay), so that at 2030 the continent will celebrate together that this event is staging it on its soil after 100 years. Uruguay and Argentina began the initiative to welcome this tournament in seven years time, later Chile and Paraguay has joined the above duo, while of course (with right) its confederation is giving full support to its member nations. On that who is going to host the best 48 teams of our planet, the world football organization would decide it in 2024.

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Needing of a new format

The 32 teams at the World Cup finals in 2022 was the last time we ever saw, thus from the 2026 edition we will have 48 participants. It means that 16 new teams would play at the finals, but now the problem arise is how to adapt the new format.

Somewhere this year it will be decided that and for now there are two options. Either to have 16 groups with 3 teams or 12 of 4 sides in it. The first scenario says that the top two finishers in the group would travel to the first knockout stage (which is still favoured by the world football organization), while the second looks to qualify the first two teams of the groups together with the eight-best third-place participants that will reach the round of 32. By increasing the number of teams it is already known how much new ones will enter from each confederation: 4 from Africa / Asian and Europe would have 3 / North, Central America and the Caribbean region together with the South neighbour will have 2 new sides / 1 from Oceania plus 1 team would come from an intercontinental play off.

From trouble we are going to complexity: in the end we are going to have totally 104 duels played (rise from 64 from the last event) and in the group stage we will have 72 matches (out of 48). Another sweet problem is that all duels have to be adjusted to the European viewers knowing that in three years time games would kick-off in many different time zones.

Qualifying plays for 2026 is quickly approaching and would start on 23 March with the two American continents. We will see each of the host countries at the main finals: Canada, United States of America and Mexico.

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Without any irregularities

Couple of days ago it was revealed that match fixing at the just finished World Cup 2022 was not detected. The working group of the world football organization has monitored all 64 games and during the analysis did not found any manipulation. Plenty of betting houses were closely watched, and also there was supervision on its places.

In the statement was added that the affiliation will continue to observe such events in order to have integrity and protection of this sport.

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Prize money for title winners

In the recently finished World Cup it was revealed how much the world champions have earned and how many spectators visited the event.

Besides the trophy, the new winners have earned 38.9 million euros. The overall fund of the whole competition was 406.7 million. Just in comparison: the losing rivals from this year has received 30.6 million euros as champions at 2018.

On Monday the world football organization announced that 3.404.252 spectators were present at stadia which it was the third attendance in the history of these tournaments where 3.429.873 people were at 2014, and in 1994 has gathered 3.587.538 fans. For 2022 the average capacity of all stadia was filled by 96.3 percent. Lusail arena have reached its maximum capacity on the final game with 88.966 spectators.

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Numbers from the most exciting competition that just ended

Unfortunately, the extraordinary and incredible tournament such as the World Cup 2022 is over. All players had 23 working nights together with 6 days of breaks had 64 matches were played, and on a national holiday of Qatar the new champions just switched places with the old one.

Goals and own ones. Throughout nearly a month of good fun, festivity, surprises it was scored 168 goals in normal time or 2.62 per game. If we add 4 more that were given in the additional 30 minutes then footballers have rolled the ball inside the net 2.69 per play. Goals that were scored in the stoppage of first half was 5, while even 13 were given after ninetieth minute. One of them was scored after 105, and 4 were given in extra time. Footballers were generous enough to surprise other teams with 3 goals as pure gifts. Hat tricks has appeared 2 times.

Punishments. Men in blue were in the mood to point 14 times at the penalty spot. Eight of them were shown in the first 45 minutes, five in the second half, plus one that was given in extra time. In a single play one team had to shoot twice from 11 metres. Spectacular saves by goalkeepers were 5 or 4 in the first half plus 1 on the continuation.

Naughty boys. Footballers with two yellow cards were only 2. Referees issued the second same colour card in the stoppage time of the second half. Just one player did a really nasty foul which was for a direct red card: and that one was awarded to a goalkeeper.

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Defending champions gave up their throne to their rivals

World Cup - Qatar 2022, knockout stage 4 - final: last ever match of the competition, night 23, game 64:

Argentina - France 2:2, 3:3 after 30 additional minutes, on penalties: 4-2

Scorers: 1:0 23-pen (22.23) Lionel Messi

               2:0 36 (35.22) Angel di Maria

               2:1 80-pen (79.24) Kylian Mbappe

               2:2 81 (80.59) Kylian Mbappe

               3:2 108 (107.58) Lionel Messi

               3:3 117-pen (117.03) Kylian Mbappe

Stoppage time played for both halves: 7.34 + 8.37.

Final additional information in 2022: following the exciting whole tournament and last match, on the national holiday of Qatar there was a shift at the top. The defending champions did not succeed to retain its crown thus their rivals are now the new football rulers of the world. After 1978 and 1986, in 2022 Argentina for the third time have lifted the World Cup trophy.

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Bronze medal game decided

World Cup - Qatar 2022, knockout stage 4 - finals: classification match for third / fourth place, night 22, game 63:

Croatia - Morocco 2:1

Scorers: 1:0 07 (06.27) Joshko Gvardiol

               1:1 08 (08.16) Achraf Dari

               2:1 42 (41.43) Mislav Orshic

Stoppage time played for both halves: 1.56 + 6.08.

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Equaling the record with his compatriot

During the ongoing World Cup 2022 records continues to fall.

- The double scorer between Argentina - Croatia this Tuesday Julian Alvarez became the second youngest footballer who have scored more than one goal in semi final games with 22 years and 316 days. Legendary striker Edson Arantes do Nascimento had 17 years and 244 days is still number one with his hat trick when his Brazilian team beat France 5:2 at the 1958 event.

- Diego Maradona was the only South American player who have rolled the ball twice behind the net against Belgium in the World Cup 1986 of the last four. Thirty six years later his countryman Julian Alvarez has done the same job at the semi finals.

- Lothar Matthaus and Lionel Messi are both equal in terms of players with most appearances at these tournaments at the number of 25. However, there is one more match ahead for the Argentinian, thus the last L and M will certainly break this record on Sunday.

- For the fourth time two teams are going to meet each other twice in these competitions. Morocco and Croatia played their first duel in the group phase, while these two are going to repeat fighting for the bronze medal place this Saturday.

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Opponents unabled of scoring for the second consecutive night

World Cup - Qatar 2022, knockout stage 3 - semi final, night 21, game 62:

France - Morocco 2:0

Scorers: 1:0 05 (04.41) Theo Hernandez

               2:0 79 (78.50) Randal Kolo Muani

Stoppage time played for both halves: 3.14 + 5.57.

Additional information: Argentina and France will contest the final match this Sunday, while 24 hours earlier we would see whether Croatia or Morocco could grab bronze medal on this tournament.

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South American team was way too strong to earn a final spot

World Cup - Qatar 2022, knockout stage 3 - semi final, night 20, game 61:

Argentina - Croatia 3:0

Scorers: 1:0 34-pen (33.27) Lionel Messi

               2:0 39 (38.26) Julian Alvarez

               3:0 69 (68.47) Julian Alvarez

Stoppage time played for both halves: 4.10 + 5.03.

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Change of ball name

The journey came to an end. Games that were completed the quarter finals were played with Al rihla, which meant exactly that. Now Adidas has introduced a new ball where the last four matches are going to kick off and close the ongoing World Cup.

Al hilm will be used for both semi finals, bronze medal classification game and the big final. Meaning dream from the translation prospect, this official ball is decorated with a maroon colour that also can be found on the national flag of the hosting country.

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Four matches until the end

Sadly, exciting tournaments like these sometimes has to come to its completion (cannot be played for whole eternity), but one small happy news from all this emerges: in the third month of next year the qualifying journey starts again for the next edition of the World Cup 2026.

Until then four duels have remained to be staged from the ongoing event. In contention for the trophy are left two European teams who their opponents are one each from Africa and South America. The champion is still in play, and will it defend its title we have to wait and see next weekend.

Semi-finals

13 December, Tuesday at 20.00 CET: Argentina - Croatia.

14 December, Wednesday at 20.00 CET: France - Morocco.

Finals

Classification for third / fourth place

17 December, Saturday at 16.00 CET: the two losers from semifinals.

Game for the title

18 December, Sunday at 16.00 CET: winners from the last 4 will contest in the big final.

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African representative threw out the second Iberian team as well

World Cup - Qatar 2022, knockout stage 2 - quarter final, night 19, game 59:

Morocco - Portugal 1:0

Scorer: 1:0 42 (41.35) Youssef en-Nesyri

- On 90+2 (92.16) Moroccan striker Walid Cheddira received his second yellow card.

Stoppage time played for both halves: 2.35 + 8.04.

Additional information 1: history was made tonight in all these tournaments as Morocco became the first country from the African continent to qualify into last 4.

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