BUENOS AIRES ( Associated Press) — The 2030 World Cup will open in Buenos Aires and the final in Montevideo if a joint bid by Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay to host the event for its centenary is successful.
It was defined at the first assembly of the “Corporation Juntos 2030”, the association made up of the football associations and the governments of the four South American countries, which took place this Tuesday in Buenos Aires.
“From what we discussed today with the ministers and presidents (of the federations), the first World Cup match is to be held in Argentina and the last in Uruguay,” said Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA). , , at a press conference after the event held at the national team venue.
South America intends to stick with the organization of the 2030 World Cup which will coincide with the centenary of the first World Cup hosted and won by Uruguay in 1930.
Whereas Spain-Portugal-Ukraine has already formalized its application; With Morocco in seclusion and the Saudi Arabia-Egypt-Greece process in progress, CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez affirmed this Tuesday that “FIFA has an obligation to respect the memory of those who created the World Cup before us and before us.” “
“In the end, the one who wants the most wins. And this is the habit of Argentina and all our countries”, affirmed the South American leader.
FIFA will make a decision in 2024, just two years before the first trilateral World Cup in history will be played in the United States, Canada and Mexico with an unprecedented number of 48 teams.
The South American candidacy gained new strength with Argentina world champions in Qatar, but also because of the greater commitment of the governments of the four countries. Until recently, Uruguay was the sole promoter.
Chilean Sports Minister Alexandra Benado Vergara said, “Argentina’s victory is also a victory for our region… It is very important how football has a social impact, which allows us to unite.”
“We are in a full position to say that we are going to make a serious, permanent, clear, strict application according to the times that our region and the world are experiencing,” he explained. “I have no doubt that we are going to bring the Cup to South America.”
His Uruguayan colleague Sebastián Bauza insisted that “we think we have the right to organize the World Cup. We have to overcome the obstacles that we have at the governmental level, but football helps unite people. You have to work and talk less”.
The official confirmed that “soon we will make a presentation to FIFA.”
Just as South America claims to host the World Cup on its centenary, Europe supports the continental rotation argument. The last tournament that was held there was in Russia 2018.
Another challenge for the four South American countries is the high cost required for organizing these features in one of the world’s most unequal regions.
“The arguments that we have to fight this candidacy are much more powerful than the material ones. If someone thinks that we have to compete with Europe physically, in terms of stadiums, economic power, of course We won’t be able to compete”, acknowledged Argentina’s Minister of Sports and Tourism Matias Lammens. But “100 years is a great opportunity to go back to where it all began.”
Argentine President Alberto Fernandez supported his country’s candidacy, but publicly asked that Bolivia join the project.
“This candidacy is from all over the continent. For this reason, I would like and I am going to propose that our sister Bolivia be part of this dream,” said the Argentine president via his social networks.
Lammens acknowledged to reporters that President Fernandez responded in this way to an “expressed request” made by former Bolivian President Evo Morales, but clarified that it was unlikely to succeed.
