By Samindra Kunti
September 10 – Ecuador have announced proposals to bid alongside Colombia and Peru to host the 2030 World Cup, launching a second South American contender alongside the joint candidacy of Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile.
On Twitter, Ecuador’s president Lenin Moreno wrote: “I have proposed to Presidents Ivan Duque [Colombia] and Martin Vizcarra [Peru] that we organize the World Cup in Ecuador, Colombia and Peru in 2030, the year in which South America is favored to host [the event].”
Neither Colombia nor Peru have commented, but the plans raise questions about South America’s chances to stage the 2030 tournament if the new proposal goes ahead. A second bid in the region would split votes and thwart any realistic prospect of raising enough support at the FIFA Congress to elect a South American winner.
Moreno said that his government would support the Ecuadorian Football Federation to “make Ecuador’s dream come true.”
Two years ago, Argentina and Uruguay announced a joint bid for the 2030 tournament to celebrate the centenary of the inaugural World Cup held in Uruguay. Later, Paraguay and Chile joined the bid.
Britain and Ireland have also expressed an interest in bidding for the 2030 showpiece event. Last June, Spain and Portugal considered a joint bid after UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin ruled out that they could join Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.
China is also believed to have an interest in 2030 after offering FIFA a financial lifeline in the wake of the FIFAgate corruption scandal via its corporate sponsorships as western sponsors baulked at renewing with the world governing body. But for the Chinese to win they would have to overcome the hurdle of the world’s federation rotation policy (though not a regulation), that would theoretically rule out another Asian bid in 2030 as Qatar will stage the next World Cup in 2022.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1734867692labto1734867692ofdlr1734867692owedi1734867692sni@o1734867692fni1734867692