FIFA World Cup 2030: South American nations launch joint bid to host mega event

The 2030 FIFA World Cup will be another footballing spectacle. While the bids for the host nation/s are underway, South American nations have launched a joint bid.

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When it comes to the FIFA World Cup, it is undoubtedly the most outstanding football spectacle. Also, the host nation has a distinct responsibility to make the event a grand success, besides standing a chance to display its footballing capabilities through its team that competes in the mega event. While the 2022 edition is all set to be hosted in Qatar, 2026 will be jointly held in Canada, Mexico and the United States of America (USA). Meanwhile, the bidding sessions for the 2030 edition are already underway, while the South American nations have launched a joint bid to celebrate the 100 years of the prestigious competition.

President of the South American football’s governing body, CONMEBOL, Alejandro Dominguez, said, “We are in this iconic place where history began. This is not the project of a government but the dream of a whole continent,” added Dominguez. There will be other World Cups, but 100 years will be celebrated only once.”

Meanwhile, Uruguay’s sports minister, Sebastian Bauza, has affirmed that four South American nations would present their joint bid to the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). At the same time, the winner is likely to be announced in 2024. “We have to put on a sustainable World Cup that leaves a legacy for these four countries,” he said, as Uruguay–Argentina–Chile–Paraguay are likely to be the joint bidders, reports AFP.

Among the other bidders, Spain and Portugal have officially made their joint bid, while Morocco is looking to become the second African nation to host the mega event. In February, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland abandoned their plans to launch a joint bid and would focus on bidding for the UEFA Euro.

In the meantime, Israel is looking to enter the bidding, along with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The 2030 edition would involve 48 teams, with Dominguez asserting that around 14 stadiums would be utilised for approximately 80 matches. In contrast, if the South American bid is a success, it would be the first time four countries would be the co-hosts of a FIFA World Cup.