By EFE
25 Oct 2023, 00:35 AM EDT
The Portuguese government assured that its country will host “more than a dozen matches” in the three stadiums with which it will participate in the 2030 World Cup which will be organized together with Spain and Morocco, and completely ruled out the construction of new infrastructure.
In the 2030 World Cup, the states da Luz, Alvalade (Lisbon) and do Dragão (Porto) – the only ones that meet FIFA’s criteria for the event – “will host more than a dozen matches,” said the Portuguese Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Ana Catarina Mendes.
“There will be no construction of new stadiums, that was never a possibility,” stressed the socialist minister, also responsible for Sports, in a parliamentary appearance.
Mendes stressed that Portugal must “learn from the past”, which taught “that we should not build new stadiums”, alluding to the organization of the Euro 2004.
Ana Catarina Mendes pointed out that “sustainability is the watchword in the organization of this World Cup,” for which he promised “respect for public procurement, total transparency in the use of public money and guarantee of accountability.”
Too early to talk about the costs of the 2030 World Cup
The Portuguese Minister of Parliamentary Affairs also did not want to talk about the possible costs that the organization of the event together with Spain and Morocco will entail, since the current figures are out of date, so a new study is planned after the presentation of the letter of intent of the project, scheduled for next day the 28th in Rabat.
In any case, “it is early to talk” about this issue, because “we do not know the reality in seven years,” he said.
“I do know one thing: both the Portuguese State and the “Portuguese Football Federation will participate in the best World Cup ever,” said Ana Catarina Mendes.
FIFA confirmed on October 4 that Spain, Portugal and Morocco will be in charge of organizing the 2030 World Cup. which, however, will begin in South America, to commemorate the centenary of the first World Cup.
So the first three games will be played in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, country that hosted the tournament in 1930 and whose capital, Montevideo, will host a ceremony to commemorate the anniversary.
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