Argentine Football Association president Claudio Tapia is negotiating with FIFA to host an entire group stage in Argentina during the 2030 World Cup. Under initial plans, Argentina would host only the opening match for its national team, the Albiceleste, while Uruguay and Paraguay would host inaugural matches for their teams.
Spain, Portugal and Morocco remain the main hosts for the rest of the tournament. In an interview with TyC Sports, Tapia said the first and last matches of the World Cup are the most important. He stated that Argentina currently holds the opening game and is working to secure a complete group stage at zero cost to the state.
Support for FIFA Leadership and Expansion
Tapia also supported expanding the World Cup from 48 to 64 teams, a proposal FIFA president Gianni Infantino is attempting to launch for the 2030 tournament. The Argentine official, who serves on the FIFA Council, demonstrated public support for Infantino on Thursday.
Infantino faces pressure to step down from the FIFA presidency after the failure of a commercial sales plan for the World Cup. The Argentine Football Association published a statement signed by Tapia endorsing Infantino's 10 years in office, praising his focus on global football development and institutional solidity. The statement called for Infantino to stay in office to keep developing a better and more inclusive sport.
