Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay have been given an automatic place in the 2030 World Cup.
Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay will all receive automatic qualification slots for the 2030 World Cup in exchange for hosting the tournament's first three games, FIFA announced on Thursday.
The World Football Federation announced on Wednesday that Morocco, Portugal, and Spain will co-host the 2030 event, but the opening games will be held in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay to commemorate the tournament's centennial.
FIFA had stated that Morocco, Portugal, and Spain would qualify automatically, but on Thursday it reaffirmed that the three South American nations would also be exempt from qualifying.
It means that "three of the six places" allotted to the South American zone in 2030 will be taken in a tournament that has already grown from 32 teams to 48 teams for the 2026 championships, according to a FIFA spokeswoman.
A South American club will also have the opportunity to qualify for a playoff with another continent's squad.
The assured berth for 2030 is particularly welcome news for Paraguay, which has failed to qualify for the previous three World Cups.
Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay were originally candidates to host the tournament alongside Chile, but ultimately declined in exchange for the chance to host the first three matches and commemorations for the World Cup's centennial, which was first played in Uruguay's capital Montevideo in 1930.
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