Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay plan joint bid for 2030 World Cup

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Bengaluru, October 5: South American powerhouses Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay have formally launched a three-nation bid to host the 2030 World Cup.

So far no other country is in the fray though China reportedly shown an interest in bidding to host the 2030 edition, while European nations will once again be eligible under FIFA's rotating system.

With a three-way bid from the United States, Canada and Mexico favored to host the 2026 World Cup, the South American nations toed the same line.

Russia is set to host the FIFA quadrennial extravaganza in 2018 while Qatar will host it four years later.

Both the countries are hosting the FIFA showpiece event for the first time.

The presidents of the three nations, who announced in August that they were teaming up to bid for the tournament, kicked off the campaign at the Casa Rosada, Argentina's government palace.

Argentina would likely host a lion's share of the tournament's stadiums (six to eight) while Paraguay and Uruguay may host up to three each.

Argentina and Uruguay, who have both won the World Cup twice, decided to launch a joint bid earlier this year and later added Paraguay, who have never won the tournament.

Argentina, who last won the World Cup in 1986 with Diego Maradona doing the star turn, also got an endorsement from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who was on a visit to Buenos Aires.

"It is an honour and a pleasure to be here, in the home of Argentinian football.

"It is a great emotion to be in a country and in a city that wrote many of the most exciting pages, not only of the history of football, but also its myth. Argentina has contributed to making football what it is today," said Infantino, who also paid a visit to the Argentinian Football Association's Buenos Aires office.

The three-nations also played up the appeal of the World Cup returning to Uruguay where the first tournament was held in 1930.

"We know there are other countries that want it but I think the 100-year anniversary of the first World Cup in Uruguay makes the region a very attractive prospect," said Paraguay's President Horacio Cartes.

Uruguay won the first World Cup in Montevideo after beating neighbours Argentina 4-2 in the final.