Lithuania to host 2020 Futsal World Cup

Lithuania has been selected to host the 2020 FIFA Futsal World Cup.

The decision was made by the FIFA Council at its meeting in Rwanda, with Iran, Japan and New Zealand having also been under consideration. Scheduled for 12 September to 4 October 2020, it will be the first FIFA final tournament in Lithuania, who hosted football's 2013 UEFA European Under-19 Championship and 2018 UEFA European Women's Under-17 Championship. The venues were announced in October 2019 as Kaunas Arena, Vilnius Arena and Klaipėda Arena.

It will be the third Futsal World Cup in Europe, and the first since 1996 in Spain. Alongside hosts Lithuania, who will take part in their debut FIFA or UEFA final tournament for football or futsal at senior level, Europe will supply six more of the 24 contenders (four elite round winners, and two winners of play-offs involving the elite round runners-up).

Unlike in 2012 and 2016, there will be no UEFA Futsal EURO in 2020 as the tournament is now played every four years with the next edition in 2022, expanded from 12 to 16 teams.

2020 Futsal World Cup: UEFA qualifying dates
Preliminary & main round draws: 12 December 2018
Preliminary round: 29 January–3 February 2019
Main round: 22–27 October 2019
Elite round draw: 7 November 2019
Elite round: 28 January–2 February 2020
Play-off draw: tbc
Play-offs: 9 & 12 April 2020

Previous Futsal World Cup finals (hosts)
2016: Argentina 5-4 Russia (Colombia)
2012: Brazil 3-2 aet Spain (Thailand)
2008: Brazil 2-2, 4-3 pens Spain (Brazil)
2004: Spain 2-1 Italy (Chinese Taipei)
2000: Spain 4-3 Brazil (Guatemala)
1996: Brazil 6-4 Spain (Spain)
1992: Brazil 4-1 United States (Hong Kong)
1989: Brazil 2-1 Netherlands (Netherlands)