The first indication has been presented of how a redeveloped Estadio Centenario could look for a 2030 FIFA World Cup final held under the four-nation South American bid proposal.
Located in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo, the Estadio Centenario is being targeted for the 2030 World Cup final in a repeat of the role it played during the inaugural World Cup in 1930, which Uruguay hosted.
The first initial concept of a redeveloped Centenario was presented yesterday (Thursday) at a gathering organised by Uruguayan newspaper, Búsqueda, including Uruguayan sports officials and South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) executives.
Developed by construction company Saceem and architecture firm Gómez Platero, the concept sets out how the Centenario, which was developed for the 1930 World Cup, could be expanded from its current capacity of around 60,000 to the 80,000 figure needed for a present-day World Cup final.
For the first stage of the expansion, it is proposed that the surface of the playing field will be lowered to add a new tier of seating, initially bringing capacity up to 72,000. Notably, the project will also see the addition of a roof covering all seated areas, with space made available to retain the stadium’s iconic 100-metre tower – Torre de los Homenajes.
Several giant video screens would also be introduced with yesterday’s presentation coming just weeks after a parliamentary gathering had heard that a call for design proposals had been issued.
CONMEBOL president, Alejandro Domínguez, insisted that regardless of the changes in government in the countries that make-up the bid team “everyone continues to assume the same responsibility”.
Ignacio Alonso, president of the Uruguayan Football Association (UAF), added: “Today I think we have nothing to envy regarding any other candidacy that is in front of us. Internally, Uruguay has that unity, it has a material reality that allows us to be very optimistic and no longer see as a chimera what at first seemed like a distant idea.”
CONMEBOL in April proposed 18 stadia for the continent’s four-nation bid for the 2030 World Cup, including an ‘Estadio CONMEBOL’ in Asunción, the capital of Paraguay. CONMEBOL holds its headquarters in Asunción, with Paraguay bidding for the World Cup alongside Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. Estadio CONMEBOL was front and centre of the governing body’s presentation of venues, with plans outlined for a 60,000-seat stadium.
Along with the Estadio CONMEBOL, the stadium plan for the World Cup bid also includes Paraguayan venues General Pablo Rojas (Asunción, 45,000); Antonio Aranda (Ciudad del Este, 28,000); Villa Alegre (Encarnación, 45.000); and Defensores del Chaco (Asunción, 45,000).
Argentina will play the dominant part in the bid with seven venues. These are: El Monumental (Buenos Aires, 83,000); Mario Alberto Kempes (Córdoba, 57,000); and three more venues in Buenos Aires – Único de La Plata (53,000); Libertadores de América (48,000) and Presidente Perón (42,000).
Argentina’s list is completed by Malvinas Argentinas (Mendoza, 42,000); and Único Madre de Ciudades (Santiago del Estero, 30,000).
Uruguay’s venues will be headlined by Estadio Centenario, along with the capital’s Campeón del Siglo and Gran Parque Central. Chile will also have three venues in the shape of Estadio Nacional and Estadio Monumental (Santiago) and Ester Roa (Concepción).
The 2030 World Cup bid was officially launched in February following an earlier gathering in August. Driven under the banners of ‘2030 Juntos’ and ‘Mundial Centenario’, the bid from the football associations of the four countries has been fully backed by CONMEBOL.
In November 2017, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay formalised a pact to launch a joint bid for the 2030 World Cup, with Chile later added to a four-nation bid in March 2019. While Uruguay hosted the inaugural World Cup, Chile staged the 1962 World Cup and Argentina was the destination for the 1978 tournament.
The World Cup was last held in South America when Brazil hosted the 2014 event and FIFA is expected to decide on the hosts at its 74th Congress in 2024.
