Uruguay hosted and won the first ever World Cup following back-to-back Olympic gold medal wins in 1924 and 1928, defeating South American rivals Argentina 4-2 in the final, which was held at the Estadio Centenario in the capital city Montevideo.

Grondona has claimed that FIFA want to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first ever World Cup by hosting the 2030 tournament in the two nations that reached the inaugural final.

"FIFA wishes to celebrate the World Cup's 100 years in Argentina and Uruguay, I can confirm that," he told Argentina's Radio 10.

"[An agreement] has been signed by the two associations."

"What will we do?

"We'll see, but surely something of quality."


Julio Grondona (left) pictured here with FIFA President Sepp Blatter, has said that FIFA want the 2030 World Cup to be held in Argentina and Uruguay

The idea has been mooted for some time and garnered support from the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), as well as being spoken about encouragingly by FIFA President Sepp Blatter, a close friend of Grondona's, in the past.

The notion of Uruguay and one other South American country co-hosting the tournament was first formally suggested to Blatter by then President Tabaré Vázquez when he visited Uruguay to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 2005.

"The President told me his dream of seeing this tournament hosted in the region." Blatter said following the meeting.

"I told him that today's dream could be tomorrow's vision, which in turn could become a proper initiative and finally a project."

The 1930 FIFA World Cup Final was played between Uruguay and Argentina in front of 80,000 spectators in Montevideo

The continental rotation system now used by FIFA in order to determine hosts for the showpiece tournament is also set to work in favour of the bid, according to Blatter.

"Dr Nicholas Leoz [former CONMEBOL President] tells me that with the system of rotation it will be the turn of South America in 2030," he said.

"That is the situation as it currently stands."

The bid from the AFA and the Uruguayan FA (AUF) was officially submitted to Blatter on the eve of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Argentina hosted - and won - the World Cup in 1978, and secured a major coup earlier today when capital city Buenos Aires was elected to host the Summer Youth Olympic Games in 2018, ahead of Glasgow and the Colombian city of Medellin.

Only one World Cup has ever been hosted by two nations; the 2002 World Cup, which was held by South Korea and Japan.

A decision on the hosts for the 2030 FIFA World Cup is expected to be made in 2015.

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