South America unites in bid to host the 2030 World Cup

Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay submitted a joint nomination to host World Cup 2030an effort that, if successful, would bring the world championship back to Uruguay a century after it hosted its first World Cup in 1930.

“This is the dream of the continent. There will be more World Cups, but the cup is only 100 years old and you have to come home,” said Alejandro Dominguez, president of South American Football. CONMEBOL, in an event at the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo, where Uruguay defeated Argentina to win their first World Cup. Since then, Argentina and Chile have also hosted the games in 1978 and 1962, respectively.

“The World Cup is only held where it all began after 100 years,” Ignacio Alonso, president of the Uruguayan Football Association, told reporters. Domínguez said there are “more than enough” reasons for FIFA Acceptance of individual candidacy for the four countries. The 2030 World Cup will be followed by the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.

For now, the main competition from South American countries appears to come from Spain and Portugal, who last month submitted a joint bid to host the tournament. The United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland decided in February to drop a joint bid in which five FIFA member associations were due to host the tournament. There has also been tentative talk of an Israeli offer with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The last World Cup that was held in South America was Brazil 2014.

The 2030 World Cup will have 48 teams, and Dominguez said about 14 stadiums will be used for about 80 matches. By contrast, at the Qatar World Cup later this year, there will be 32 teams playing 64 matches in eight stadiums. In 1930, there were only 13 teams and the tournament was held in the same city, Montevideo, in only three stadiums.

“It is more difficult and exhausting for a country to plan a nomination on its own,” Dominguez said.

If the nomination is successful, it will be the first time that four countries have organized the World Cup and launched the slogan “Together 2030”.

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