SANTIAGO, Nov 4 — Chile is interested in hosting the 2030 soccer World Cup but Argentina will not be bidding to stage the tournament, local media reported today.

Chilean soccer federation president Sergio Jadue, who was re-elected yesterday, said his country had spoken to soccer’s ruling world body FIFA about hosting the competition, either alone or with Uruguay.

Jadue has previously expressed interest in Chile holding the 2030 World Cup, building on its experience of hosting next year’s Copa America regional competition and the Under-17 World Cup.

Argentina has also been mooted as a possible host for 2030, but Miguel Angel Silva, the Argentine soccer association vice-president, appeared to rule that out.

“Argentina is not thinking about the 2030 World Cup. We haven’t even considered it yet. If you asked me concretely, Argentina will not bid to organise that World Cup,” Chilean local daily La Tercera quoted him as saying.

The 2030 World Cup will mark the centenary of the global soccer competition which is held every four years. The 1930 World Cup was hosted and won by Uruguay and many people would like to see it return to South America for the 100^th anniversary.

Chile, which staged the 1962 World Cup, performed well in this year’s tournament in Brazil before going out to the hosts on penalties in the second round. — Reuters