In 1930, thirteen teams gathered in Montevideo, Uruguay, for the first ever World Cup, and the hosts beat Argentina in the final at the Estadio Centenario. One hundred years later, the tournament returns to where it began. FIFA has confirmed that centenary matches will be played in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay as part of the 2030 tournament, a celebration of the World Cup's first century. For fans, the centenary is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to watch football history being honoured where it was made.

The centenary matches: what is confirmed

What FIFA has confirmed is this: the 2030 tournament will be played mainly in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, from 8 June to 21 July 2030, with 48 teams and 104 matches — and three centenary celebration matches will be played in South America, one each in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. Those matches honour the three nations that played in the first tournament's semi-finals and the continent where the World Cup was born.

What has not been confirmed is the full detail: which teams play in the centenary matches, the exact dates, and the format of the opening celebrations. The main opening ceremony is expected to take place in one of the principal host nations, and whether Montevideo hosts a separate centenary ceremony has not been officially announced. Fans should treat any specific claim about the Montevideo ceremony as unconfirmed until FIFA announces it.

The Estadio Centenario: where it all began

The Estadio Centenario in Montevideo is one of the most historic stadiums in world football. Built in just nine months for the 1930 tournament, it hosted the first World Cup final, and it remains the home of Uruguayan football. The stadium is a living monument: the Tower of Homage, the museum beneath the stands, and the sense of history that hangs over every match played there.

For fans who make the trip, the Centenario is the reason to go. A match there in 2030 will be less a football game than a pilgrimage — a chance to stand where the World Cup began, a century later, and to watch the tournament honour its own history. The stadium is being prepared for the centenary, and tickets for the Montevideo match will be among the most sought-after of the whole tournament.

Montevideo: the city of the first World Cup

Montevideo is a city that wears its football history with pride. The capital of Uruguay is a relaxed, Atlantic-facing city of wide boulevards, colonial buildings and a long rambla along the Rio de la Plata. It is smaller and calmer than the great South American capitals, and it is easy to explore on foot. The football museum at the Centenario tells the story of the first World Cup in detail, and the city's cafes and markets are full of fans and football talk.

For travelling fans, Montevideo is also a practical destination: Uruguay is a safe, stable country, and most European, North American and Australian passport holders can enter visa-free for tourism. The city is affordable by South American standards, and it is well connected by air to Buenos Aires, São Paulo and Santiago. A trip to Montevideo for the centenary is a journey into football history.

Planning a centenary trip

A centenary trip needs serious planning. The flights are long — Montevideo is a long-haul destination from Europe and North America — and the centenary matches will be played before the main tournament in Europe and Morocco, so a fan who wants to attend both faces two long journeys. Budget for the flights, the accommodation and the time, and book early, because the centenary matches will sell out quickly.

Tickets for the centenary matches will be sold through FIFA, like every other match of the tournament, and the same warning applies: never buy from a reseller, never pay by bank transfer, and never believe a story about a spare ticket. The centenary is a once-in-a-century event, and the demand will reflect that. Plan early, book through FIFA, and you could be there when the World Cup turns one hundred.

World Cup 2030's centenary celebration will take the tournament back to Montevideo, where it all began in 1930. The details are still to be confirmed, but the chance to watch football history being honoured at the Estadio Centenario is one no fan should miss.