Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay have launched a joint bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
The four South American nations hope to bring the tournament “home” for the centenary edition, 100 years after the inaugural World Cup was hosted, and won, by Uruguay.
Chile (1962) and Argentina (1978) are also former tournament hosts.
“This is the dream of a continent,” said Alejandro Dominguez, president of CONMEBOL.
“There will be more World Cups, but the cup only turns 100 one time, and it needs to come home.”
Ignacio Alonso, president of the Uruguayan Football Association, added: “It’s right for the World Cup to be hosted where it all began, 100 years later.”
Spain and Portugal have already announced their own joint bid to host the tournament. FIFA is due to select the 2030 host in 2024.
The United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland withdrew their plans to submit a bid of their own, choosing to instead target hosting rights for the men’s European Championships in 2028.
The first edition of the FIFA World Cup was held in July 1930, featuring 13 teams from three confederations in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo.
The final was played on Wednesday 30 July, with the hosts fighting back from 2-1 down to beat Argentina 4-2 in front of nearly 70,000 people.
The 2022 tournament will be held in Qatar later this year.
Canada, Mexico and the USA will be joint hosts in 2026, the second time that the competition will be contested in more than one nation (2002, Japan and South Korea).
— Ferdinand A Baah
