Four South American countries are looking to bring the World Cup back to its place of origin for its 100th anniversary.
Original host Uruguay is submitting a joint bid for 2030 with Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay.
- If successful, there would be consecutive World Cups in the Americas: The U.S., Mexico, and Canada are hosting the 2026 tournament.
- Spain and Portugal have also submitted a joint bid. The U.K. and Ireland considered doing the same but instead chose to focus on the 2028 UEFA European Championship.
- Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, and Serbia explored a joint bid, but it is unclear whether they will go ahead with it. China has also shown interest.
Qatar is spending an incredible $220 billion on this year’s World Cup, but much of that sum will support long-term infrastructure. Russia spent $11.6 billion on hosting in 2018, and Brazil $15 billion in 2014.
Risk vs. Reward
A South American joint bid has nostalgia on its side but would face a handful of challenges. Argentina would likely host the bulk of the tournament, but debt issues could make the requisite infrastructure spending a political challenge.
The 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil brought protests on government spending priorities.
Should the World Cup take place on its typical schedule of June and July, fans and players may encounter less-than-ideal temperatures in the 30s and 40s Fahrenheit.
