(Reuters) – Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay officially submitted a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup on Tuesday, calling for the tournament to return “where football was born” 100 years after the first World Cup was held in Montevideo.
During a ceremony at the Argentine Football Association (AFA), officials of the four countries were joined by Alejandro Dominguez, president of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), who said that he hopes FIFA can show a “gesture of greatness” toward the region and allow it to organise the tournament.
“The 2030 World Cup is not just another World Cup, it deserves a celebration with recognition for 100 years,” Dominguez said.
“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.”
AFA president Claudio Tapia added: “As world champions, we carry out this launch which is the dream of all South Americans. Not only on the centenary of the first edition, but because of the passion with which we live football.”
Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez made a statement on his official Twitter account saying that Bolivia will be asked to join “this dream”.
After the first edition in Uruguay, Argentina hosted the World Cup in 1978 and Chile in 1962, while Paraguay has never hosted the sport’s biggest competition.
The South American bid will compete with Spain-Portugal, who have signed a joint bid agreement, plus possible 2030 bids from Morocco and Saudi Arabia.
(Reporting by Ramiro Scandolo in Buenos Aires and Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
