Uruguayan president Tabaré Vazquez confirmed to FIFA’s chief executive the intention to officially postulate Uruguay and Argentina as 2030 FIFA World Cup hosts. Vazquez also informed that the Uruguayan government and FIFA would work together to join education and sport in the formative stages.

 “It`s a pleasure and an honor for Uruguay and Argentina to welcome the president of FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) in Montevideo”, said Vazquez on Wednesday, March 30, at the press conference held after the meeting.

The meeting was also attended by the sports secretaries of Uruguay and Argentina, (Fernando Cáceres and Carlos Mac Allister respectively) the president of the Uruguayan Football Association Wilmer Valdez and the secretary of the organization Alejandro Balbi.

The different issues addressed with Infantino were discussed together with the football associations and sports secretaries of Argentina and Uruguay, with the assent of Argentinean president Mauricio Macri, said Vázquez.

 “We officially propose the possibility to host together the 2030 World Cup, commemorating 100 years of the first World Cup that took place in Uruguay. The Centenario stadium was built to host that cup, for t it was declared by FIFA as the only historical monument of World Football” –affirmed President Vázquez.

 “It’s a hope, a dream, a desire that we have in common. Now it will have to go trough different steps, like the official presentation before FIFA”

Both governments decided to constitute a committee to work in the proposal and search support from other countries.

Football and studies

Other issues analyzed in the meeting were related with the education of young and children who start to practice football. The goal is to optimize the principles and values that football can achieve such as respect, tolerance and the understanding that football is a sport and a game.

In that way, Vázquez informed than on April 22 when he will attend the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) meeting in Ecuador, he will suggest to all 12 members of the bloc the realization of conferences and workshops organized together with FIFA, in the upcoming June MERCOSUR summit to be realized in Montevideo.

 “The main subject will be education, sport and football” –indicated Vazquez.

At his turn FIFA President Gianni Infantino highlighted the importance of Uruguay in the history of Global football. “Our fathers and grandfathers felt in love with football and thanks to that we share the same passion with the presidents Vázquez and Macri”, said the Italian-Swiss chairman.

 “The project of a world Cup hosted by Uruguay and Argentina it’s a dream, and is very positive that two countries that build football history show an interest in doing so”.

But, he said: “organizing a World cup demand a lot of requisites, like have at least 12 international stadiums, airports, hotel and transportation infrastructures”.

 “We are still far away from 2030, our priority is to organize the 2026 world cup. After that we can start talking about 2030. I support that two countries host together a World Cup but this is a matter that need to be resolved by the FIFA commission” – he added.

Infantino said that Uruguay could be hosting the 2018 FIFA Women U-17 World Cup. The organization of this tournament can be a testing ground for the desired 2030 World Cup.

Source: Presidency