South American 2030 World Cup bid seeks sentimental final in Montevideo

BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Members of the South American candidacy for the centennial 2030 World Cup want to host the opening match in Buenos Aires and the final in Montevideo, where Uruguay won the first edition of the tournament.

Government and soccer officials representing the joint bid of Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay held their first organizing committee meeting Tuesday. Argentine President Alberto Fernandez also said he wants to add Bolivia to the group.

One other bid has already been formalized: Spain-Portugal-Ukraine. Morocco and another joint bid of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Greece are moving ahead.

Alejandro Dominguez, the president of South American soccer body CONMEBOL, highlighted the historical links. Uruguay hosted the first tournament in 1930 and won the first title by beating Argentina 4-2 in the final.

"FIFA has the obligation of honoring the memory of those who came before us and made the first World Cup," he said. "At the end, the ones who want it more win it. And in that Argentina and all of our countries have a tradition."

FIFA will make the decision in 2024, two years before the next edition of the tournament takes place in the United States, Mexico and Canada with 48 teams for the first time.

Chile sports minister Alexandra Benado Vergara said Argentina's World Cup title in Qatar gives an extra push to the South American bid, which she sees as stronger since other nations joined Uruguay’s initially single-nation candidacy.

"Argentina's victory is also the victory of our region," Vergara said. "We can totally say we will have a bid that is sustainable, clear, austere during these times of our region and the world."

Vergara's Uruguayan counterpart Sebastian Bauza said South America "feels we have the right to organize that World Cup."

Argentina's Fernandez said on his social media channels he wanted to add Bolivia to the bid because "this is the candidacy of the entire continent. That is why I will propose that Bolivia become a part of this dream."

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