Eight Argentine cities to feature in 2030 World Cup bid

APD NEWS

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A joint South American bid to host the 2030 World Cup will feature eight cities in Argentina, two in Paraguay and two in Uruguay, the three nations confirmed on Monday.

Fernando Marin (3rd L), coordinator of the bid to host the 2030 World Cup, speaks alongside Claudio Tapia (L), president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), Argentina's Secretary of Sport Carlos Mac Allister (2nd L), Eduardo Abulafia (3rd R), head of Uruguay's delegation for the 2030 World Cup bid, Fernando Caceres, Uruguay's Secretary of Sport, and Wilmar Valdez, president of Uruguayan Football Association (AUF), during a news conference at the Casa Rosada Presidential Palace in Buenos Aires, Argentina April 9, 2018. Argentine Presidency/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.

“Our country will have eight host cities, but those haven’t been decided yet because that decision will come at a later stage,” president of the Argentina FA, Claudio Tapia, said.

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

Argentina's Secretary of Sport Carlos Mac Allister (C) speaks alongside Claudio Tapia (L), president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), and Fernando Marin, coordinator of the bid to host the 2030 World Cup, during a news conference at the Casa Rosada Presidential Palace in Buenos Aires, Argentina April 9, 2018. Argentine Presidency/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.

The bid is designed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup, which took place in Uruguay in 1930.

No other bids have been announced for the 2030 tournament.

The World Cup will be held in Russia in June-July, while Qatar will stage the event in 2022.

Two official bids to host the 2026 event have been submitted to FIFA - a joint bid by Canada, Mexico and the United States, and another one from Morocco.

(REUTERS)