England’s long pursuit of a second World Cup trophy will continue for at least 64 years following their defeat to Argentina this week.

Thomas Tuchel’s men were edged out in a fiercely contested semi-final in Atlanta, conceding two late goals. Anthony Gordon had given England an early advantage, but Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez struck late to secure victory for the reigning world champions.

With another World Cup campaign ending in disappointment, the Three Lions will now shift their focus to the 2028 European Championship to be held on home soil, and the 2030 World Cup that follows.

The 2030 edition of the tournament will mark the centenary celebration of the World Cup in a historic and unprecedented format. Portugal, Morocco, and Spain will jointly host the 48-team finals, while the opening matches are set to take place in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay — making it the first World Cup ever to be held across three continents.

Uruguay, which hosted the very first World Cup, will stage the opening fixture of the 2030 finals at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, the same venue where the inaugural final was played.

All six co-host nations will automatically qualify for the 2030 World Cup finals.

The tournament has been officially scheduled from June 8 to July 21, 2030. It will be the longest-ever World Cup due to the additional travel time required across three continents.