FIFA officials have completed the first day of a working visit to inspect Portugal's proposed stadiums for the 2030 World Cup. The delegation visited three venues in Lisbon and Porto on Monday, 2 November, as part of ongoing assessments across the three host nations of Portugal, Spain, and Morocco.

Nicolas Rozenberg, FIFA's Strategy Director, provided an upbeat assessment of the progress observed. "When we compare what we found at that time with the current situation, we can see a significant transformation," Rozenberg said, referencing a previous visit in March 2023. He added that the stadiums showed concrete development and that coordination between the various organising bodies was growing.

Inspection team evaluates Benfica and Sporting venues

The multidisciplinary FIFA team inspected Benfica's Estádio da Luz and Sporting's Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon. At the Luz, Benfica vice-president Nuno Catarino presented the club's improvement plans, including the wider Benfica District redevelopment project. The delegation also visited Porto's Estádio do Dragão later in the week. The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) coordinated the inspection programme.

Heimo Schirgi, FIFA's Events Operations Director, gave a positive review after the first day in the capital. Schirgi stated. Lisbon's Deputy Mayor, Gonçalo Reis, identified areas like security, mobility, and hospitality as priorities requiring continued attention from local organisers. Reis said.

FIFA confirms continued assessment process

Final decisions on host cities and specific match allocations for the 2030 tournament have not yet been made. FIFA confirmed that the number and type of matches assigned to each confirmed venue will be determined at a later stage. The inspection process will continue through November and December, with officials due to travel to candidate venues in Spain before returning to Portugal.

Rozenberg expressed confidence in the project's trajectory. "What we have seen until now has been very positive and Lisbon has been extremely productive and pleasant," he stated. He also highlighted the importance of the collaboration between FIFA, the FPF, and the host cities. The inspection visit is scheduled to conclude later this week with further meetings and technical reviews.

First reported at Portugal Resident