Eight years after the centenary of the World Cup, the Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay Y kilos held a joint meeting this Thursday in which they ratified the president of the Conmebol, Alexander Dominguezthe interest in organizing in 2030, jointly, the highest competition that football offers.

The meeting took place in Asunción, Paraguay, where the vice president of that country acted as a guest, Hugo Velazquez. Representing Argentina was the Minister of Tourism and Sports, Mattia Lammens.

The Chilean Minister of Sport attended the hearing, Alessandra Benado Vergarathe national sports secretary of Paraguay, Diego Galeano Harrisonand the National Secretary of Sport of Uruguay, Sebastian Bauza.

In person there was also the president of the Paraguayan Football Federation (APF), Robert Harrison. In the meantime, and from a distance, the aforementioned president of Conmebol and the owners of the three remaining national federations participated: Claudio Tapia (Argentina), Ignacio Alonso Labat (Uruguayan) e paolo milad (Kilos).

“Today we made the political and sporting decision to relaunch the possibility of organizing the 2030 World Cup in South America, and in these four countries”, confirmed the Paraguayan vice president at a press conference.

Next month a round table will meet in Montevideo, Uruguay, to determine the steps to be followed to officially confirm the candidacy before FIFA. Spain and Portugal are the other two countries concerned. England and Ireland have abandoned the offer.

A representative of the Development Bank of Latin Americawith the interest in financing the infrastructural works to be carried out in the four countries.

In this sense, the Paraguayan vice president Velázquez made it clear that the South American candidates do not have the economic resources to compete “with the great world powers” but that they plan a World Cup in an “austere way”, according to the Efe news agency.

If the application is confirmed, it will be the first time four countries try to become common venues for a World Cup. The last time the world cup was played on the continent was in Brazil 2014, where the German team was champion. This year the competition will take place in Qatar, but the next World Cup in 2026 will be split between Canada, the United States and Mexico.

“Important advance”

“Today’s meeting represents an important step forward in promoting the joint candidacy of our countries to host the 2030 World Cup. In commemorating 100 years of the first World Cup, we believe it would be a great recognition from the world of football for the contribution that South America has made to the most popular sport in our countries and on the planet, “said Lammens after the meeting.

In addition, officials reviewed the joint work with a focus on the 12th South American Games 2022, which will be held in Asunción from 1 to 15 October, with the participation of over 700 athletes from 14 countries in the region.