South American nations to compete against joint bid by Spain, Portugal and Ukraine to host tournament in its 100th year.
The South American nations of Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay have submitted a joint bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which will take place 100 years after the first tournament was held in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Officials from the four countries came together on Tuesday with Alejandro Dominguez, president of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), to announce their effort to bring the tournament back to “where football was born”.
“The 2030 World Cup is not just another World Cup, it deserves a celebration with recognition for 100 years,” Dominguez said during the ceremony at the Argentine Football Association headquarters in Ezeiza, south of Buenos Aires.
“We are convinced that FIFA has an obligation to honour the memory of those who came before us and believed in greatness and made the first World Cup.”
With FIFA scheduled to select a host for the 2030 World Cup next year, competition between nations hoping to organise the world’s most popular sports tournament has intensified.
Spain, Portugal, and Ukraine also agreed to a joint bid, which has the backing of European governing body UEFA, while other countries including Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Greece, and Egypt are reportedly considering submissions.
The World Cup is held once every four years, with Qatar becoming the first country in the Middle East to host the tournament late last year.
The next tournament will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada in 2026, the first time that three countries will co-host.
The first World Cup was held in 1930 in Uruguay, where the host country beat rivals Argentina 4-2 to become the first world champions. Argentina were crowned champions in Qatar after a thrilling final against France that ended on penalties in December.
Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentinian Football Association, said on Tuesday that the joint, South American bid to host the 2030 tournament would fulfil “the dream” of all people in the football-obsessed region.
“Not only on the centenary of the first edition, but because of the passion with which we live football,” Tapia told reporters.
Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez also said on Twitter that “it would be a great joy if, 100 years later, the World Cup returns to where it all began,” adding that he planned to propose that Bolivia join in the candidacy, too.