Uruguay to submit joint candidacy for the 2030 FIFA World Cup

By Pittaluga Abogados

The "happiness of getting the communion of three governments from deeply football countries" was underscored by Uruguayan President Tabaré Vázquez at the press conference he held in company of his peers, Mauricio Macri of Argentina and Horacio Cartes of Paraguay, on October 4 to announce the presentation of a joint candidacy for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

"We are convinced that Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay are committed and ready because they know that they will meet the requirements that FIFA has for the hosting of the World Cup", Vázquez added after the three Presidents had lunch in the city of Buenos Aires with Gianni Infantino, head of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).

The candidacy was originally launched by Vázquez in 2016 to commemorate 100 years of the first FIFA World Cup, that took place in Uruguay in 1930. "The famous Centenario Stadium of Montevideo was specially built to host that tournament and for that it was declared by FIFA as an historical monument of world football”, Vázquez highlighted in April 2016. “It’s a hope, a dream, a desire", he added about the possibility of organizing the 2030 World Cup along with neighbour Argentina.  

Since that moment both governments decided to constitute a committee to work in the proposal and search support from other countries. Paraguay joined the initiative last month and on November 23 there will be a working meeting in the city of Asunción where the requirements of FIFA will be analyzed. The idea is to play games in 12 stadiums distributed in Uruguay, Paraguay and mostly Argentina. Vázquez valued the proximity between the capitals of the three countries, which "clearly explains that they are in a position to organize the tournament".