A four-way bid from a quartet of South American nations will hope to celebrate the World Cup’s centenary where it all began in 2030.
World Cup holders Argentina have officially confirmed a joint bid alongside Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile to host the 2030 edition of the tournament.
A bid from Argentina and Uruguay had initially been announced in 2017 but has since expanded.
Uruguay hosted the inaugural World Cup in 1930 and would welcome the global showpiece for its centenary edition if successful.
Speaking upon confirmation of the four-way bid, Argentine Football Association president Claudio Tapia laid out his hopes to bring the tournament back to the continent where it was first held.
“We have the possibility of hosting this World Cup,” he said. “It has the history, the essence, the passion with which we South Americans live football.
“Today is a very important day for the history of these four countries, of these four federations that some time ago began with a dream
“We know that this is a very big commitment and that we must show the world that Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile are up to the job of hosting the 2030 World Cup.”
CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez echoed those sentiments, adding: “Today we have a team, [and] we believe in greatness.
“We are convinced that FIFA has the obligation to honour the memory of those who preceded us and made the first World Cup possible.”
There is scope yet for the bid to be bolstered by a fifth nation, with Argentina’s president Alberto Fernandez adding that he hopes to see Bolivia also host games.
“This candidacy is from the entire continent,” he tweeted. “For this reason, I would like, and I am going to propose, that our brother country Bolivia be part of this dream.”
