South American countries are readying a joint bid to host the 2030 edition of the FIFA World Cup as they plan to celebrate the centenary of the global event. The 2030 edition of the FIFA World Cup will mark 100 years of the global event which was won by Uruguay back in 1930. To celebrate the centenary edition, the South American countries plan to host the opening match in defending champions Argentina’s Buenos Arena while the final is planned to be played in Montevideo, the land of first world champions Uruguay.
South American countries set to bid
Government and football officials representing the joint bid of Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay held their first organizing committee meeting Tuesday. Argentine President Alberto Fernández also said he wants to add Bolivia to the group. One other bid has already been formalized: Spain-Portugal-Ukraine.
Morocco and another joint bid of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Greece are moving ahead. Alejandro Domínguez, the president of South American football body CONMEBOL, highlighted the historical links. Uruguay hosted the first tournament in 1930 and won the first title by beating Argentina 4-2 in the final.
“FIFA has the obligation of honoring the memory of those who came before us and made the first World Cup," he said.
“At the end, the ones who want it more win it. And in that Argentina and all of our countries have a tradition."
FIFA will make the decision in 2024, two years before the next edition of the tournament takes place in the United States, Mexico and Canada with 48 teams for the first time. Chile sports minister Alexandra Benado Vergara said Argentina's World Cup title in Qatar gives an extra push to the South American bid, which she sees as stronger since other nations joined Uruguay's initially single-nation candidacy.
“Argentina's victory is also the victory of our region," Vergara said.
“We can totally say we will have a bid that is sustainable, clear, austere during these times of our region and the world.”
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Uruguay to host final?
Vergara's Uruguayan counterpart Sebastián Bauzá said South America “feels we have the right to organize that World Cup."
Argentina's Fernández said on his social media channels he wanted to add Bolivia to the bid because “this is the candidacy of the entire continent. That is why I will propose that Bolivia become a part of this dream.”
While no decision has been made on who will host the FIFA World Cup in 2030, it is expected FIFA will welcome bids in 2023 for the rights to host the FIFA World Cup in 2030.
