Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Paraguay have presented their official bids for the 2030 World Cup.
“FIFA should go where football was born in 1930”, said Uruguay’s Sports Minister Sebastián Bauzá at a high-profile press conference in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires.
Uruguay hosted the first World Cup in 1930. The final, which the hosts won 4-2 against Argentina, was played at the “Centenario” in Montevideo. According to the applicants, the stadium in Uruguay’s capital will again be the scene of the final in 2030.
The “Monumental” in Buenos Aires is planned for the opening game. It was in this stadium that host Argentina became world champions for the first time in 1978.
Alberto Fernández, President of Argentina, wrote on Twitter: “Our national team brought the World Cup title to our continent and it would be a great joy if the World Cup returned 100 years later to where it all began: South America.”
Fernández surprised with another tweet. He brought up the fact that Argentina’s “brother state” Bolivia should also be included in the application.
Several announced applications
The application from South America, which is based on tradition and has yet to be officially submitted to the world association FIFA, is likely to face competition. Spain and Portugal have confirmed their firm intention to submit a joint application, and in autumn 2022 it became known that Ukraine wants to join the application.
Morocco, which has already unsuccessfully applied for a World Cup several times, is also said to have ambitions. Saudi Arabia is also considered a potential applicant. The Gulf state from Asia has already found possible competitors from Africa and Europe in Egypt and Greece.
The application phase for the 2030 World Cup began in June 2022. The world association has not yet set a deadline. The host is to be chosen during the FIFA 2024 Congress.
First World Cup with 48 participants in 2026
The 2026 World Cup will be held in the USA, Canada and Mexico. It will be the first in which 48 teams take part, up from 13 in Uruguay 1930.