Contrast. Everything is calm in the Olympic world on the candidacy front. Long full of twists and turns, the campaign for the 2030 Winter Games is now dormant, since the announcement of the suspension of the Japanese Sapporo project. Conversely, the world of football is agitating for the attribution of the Men's World Cup in 2030. No one will complain.

First to enter the race, the joint candidacy of the four South American countries – Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Paraguay – continues to lead the way. At least on the media level. The project leaders are multiplying their declarations. With, always, the same argument supposed to stifle competition: the weight of history.

The gang of four met not far from Buenos Aires, Tuesday February 7, at the headquarters of the Argentine Football Federation (AFA), to give a further boost to their project. She took the opportunity to launch a new appeal to FIFA, urging it not to forget the past.

« We are convinced that FIFA has an obligation to honor the memory of those who organized the first World Cup.", suggested the president of the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), the Paraguayan Alejandro Dominguez, in reference to the 1930 World Cup – the first in history – organized in Uruguay.

Same refrain sung by the Uruguayan Minister of Sports, Sebastian Bauza. “ FIFA must come and celebrate where we held the World Cup a hundred years ago,” he insisted. The story, then. Still and always.

Unsurprisingly, the Argentine head of state, Alberto Fernandez, also dipped into the chest of memories to defend the South-American project. “ Our national team brought the World Cup back to our continent and it would be a great joy if, 100 years later, it returned to where it all began: South America. he wrote on his Twitter account.

Less expected, the Argentine president caused a sensation by explaining that the four-party project could become a five-country candidacy. Alberto Fernandez announced that he was going to propose “ may our brother country Bolivia be part of this dream”.

A World Cup more continental than ever, therefore. Five countries, no less, two more than for the 2026 World Cup (United States, Canada, Mexico). The project would make history, including for the measurement of the carbon footprint, with long and frequent plane trips between the host nations.

With four or five, the South American candidacy could keep its slogan, “2030 Juntos – 100 years” (2030 Together – 100 years). But he would probably have to review his system. At this stage, it remains quite vague. We just know, but without certainty, that the opening match would take place in a country other than the match for the world title. Claudia Tapia, the president of the Argentine federation, announced it on Tuesday February 8: the 2030 World Cup would kick off in Argentina, but the final would be played, as for the 2030 edition, in Uruguay.

Enough, the weight of the story, to win the bet? Unlikely. FIFA has demonstrated this on a large number of occasions: the future interests it more than the past, especially when it suggests a new leap forward on the scale of marketing and television rights.

Competition? It could get stronger. To date, the list of candidates comes down to two lines: the South American project and a Spain-Portugal ticket, reinforced since last fall by the addition of Ukraine.

The enigmatic joint candidacy of Egypt, Greece and Saudi Arabia fueled the rumors. But it has never really been confirmed by the three countries.

On the other hand, a new starter could come forward. He would be African. Present last weekend in Algiers, for the final of the African Nations Championship (CHAN), the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, openly raised the issue at a press conference.

« Algeria and Morocco must submit bid to host World Cup, explained the South African leader, presented as a strong and faithful ally of Gianni Infantino. I am satisfied with the quality of their infrastructure. That would make us proud! »