Chile to join World Cup 2030 joint bid
SANTIAGO 15 Feb (ANA) - Chile will join Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay in making a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup.
The tournament will mark 100 years since Uruguay hosted the inaugural World Cup in 1930, which they won for the first of their two titles.
It comes just days after a meeting in which a potential British and Irish bid for staging the tournament was discussed.
World Cups from 2026 onwards will be contested by 48 teams.
Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay initially announced their plan for a joint bid in 2017, but Chile's president announced on Thursday his country would join it.
The Football Association said in August it was for England to host the 2030 tournament, and Spain, Morocco and Portugal could also make a joint bid.
"A few months ago I proposed to the presidents of Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay to incorporate Chile, and jointly, to apply for 2030," Sebastian Pinera said on Twitter.
"This proposal was accepted by the three countries."
Chile last hosted the World Cup in 1962 and Argentina won the trophy on home soil in 1978.
The tournament's most recent visit to South America came in 2014 in Brazil.
Spain and Portugal are considering a joint intercontinental bid with Morocco to host the 2030 World Cup, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday.(ANA)
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