World Cup to return home in 2030?

South American football's governing body CSF has backed a bid by Argentina and Uruguay to jointly stage the 2030 World Cup finals to commemorate the centenary of the first tournament that was also held in Uruguay.

The CSF announced its support for the initiative in a statement issued after an executive committee meeting on Wednesday at its headquarters in the Paraguayan capital.

Olympic champions Uruguay beat neighbours Argentina 4-2 in the first World Cup final in 1930 at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo.

Next year's World Cup will be held in South Africa, while Brazil will host the 2014 tournament.

FIFA is evaluating bids for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments with a decision due in December 2010. With those likely to go to Europe and one of Asia and North America, South America's unofficial turn would be due to come back around by 2030 based on FIFA's loose rotation policy.

Other World Cups held on South American soil include Brazil 1950, Chile 1962 and Argentina 1978, all of which were won by South American nations.