Back to the beginning for the 100th anniversary of the World Cup? The first hosts, Uruguay, as well as Argentina, Chile and Paraguay want to bring the 2030 World Cup back to South America.
The four associations gave the go-ahead for their joint bid on Tuesday at Montevideo’s Centenario Stadium, where the first final between Uruguay and Argentina (4-2) took place in 1930.
“We are in this iconic place where history began,” said Alejandro Dominguez, President of South American Football Confederation CONMEBOL.
The application bears the slogan “Juntos 2030” (“Together 2030”). “This is not a government project, it’s the dream of a whole continent,” Dominguez added. “There will be other World Cups, but 100 years is only celebrated once.”
Uruguay’s Sports Minister Sebastian Bauza said the four countries would submit their bid to FIFA in May 2023, with the world governing body planning to make its decision the following year.
“We must organize a sustainable World Cup”
“We must stage a sustainable World Cup that leaves a legacy for these four countries,” added Bauza. At the last World Cup on the continent, in Brazil in 2014, this failed. Many stadiums in the country of the record world champions have been falling into disrepair since the final in Rio de Janeiro eight years ago, which Germany won.
Spain and Portugal have already officially submitted a joint application for 2030, and Spain alone hosted the 1982 World Cup. However, the tournament will grow to 48 finalists by 2026.
Morocco wants to make another attempt to become the second African host after South Africa. From Europe, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Serbia announced a joint application as early as 2018.
The upcoming World Cup finals will take place in Qatar (November 21 – December 18, 2022) and in the USA, Mexico and Canada (June 8 – July 3, 2026).