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Newly elected FIFA President Gianni Infantino has given tentative backing to a joint World Cup bid by Argentina and Uruguay, saying on Monday that the history of the two South American nations could make them serious candidates to host the tournament in 2030.
Infantino, elected to run soccer's world governing body in February, was speaking during a visit to the South American Football Confederation's (CONMEBOL) headquarters in Paraguay.
FIFA held one joint World Cup in Japan and South Korea in 2002 and Infantino told CONMEBOL officials that he is not against the tournament being co-hosted again.
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"An important theme is whether the World Cup can be played in more than one country," said Infantino. "FIFA has been very much against a joint organisation. I personally support it."
"2030 is a very important year and history must be respected."
Uruguay was awarded the first World Cup in 1930 and beat Argentina 4-2 in that year's final. The country also won the World Cup in 1950, upsetting hosts Brazil in the deciding match.
Argentina staged and won the tournament in 1978 and eight years later Diego Maradona led them to their second title in Mexico.
The two countries have on various occasions over the years expressed a wish, at both football association and government level, to stage the centennial tournament.
Winning World Cup bids by Russia and Qatar in 2010 have been at the center of the corruption scandal that rocked soccer’s governing body last year, with many suspecting that FIFA officials accepted bribes during the voting process. The suitability of Qatar to host such a tournament, set to be staged in 2022, has been called into question by many due to the country's lack of a soccer pedigree and infrastructure. The competition was moved to the winter, and will interrupt domestic European soccer, due to the scorching temperatures in Middle Eastern summers.
Dozens of high-ranking officials from CONMEBOL were indicted in the United States-led investigation into corruption in soccer, with its last three presidents and officials from all 10 member nations among those charged.
The investigation into more than US$200 million in bribes and kickbacks sought and received by soccer officials from across the globe for marketing and broadcast rights to tournaments and matches has led to more than 40 individuals and entities being charged.
Infantino, who will travel to Uruguay on Tuesday to watch the home side take on Peru in 2018 World Cup qualifiers, has vowed to restore FIFA's tarnished image.
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