KAZAN, Russia (AP) – Chile says it will consider bidding to host the 2026 World Cup with some of its South American neighbors.
Speaking in Russia ahead of Chile’s Confederations Cup game against Germany on Thursday, the president of the Chilean football federation said that he wants to begin discussions to analyze the possibility of making the bid.
“We will consider the possibility of doing it together with other countries, it can be with two countries or three countries,” federation president Arturo Salah said Tuesday in Moscow. “We’ll have to see. The bidding period is open. We have to see if there is any possibility of partnering with some of our neighbors and see if we can make a bid.”
Salah did not elaborate on his plans or if he had already contacted any other country in South America about the subject.
The announcement came as a surprise as North America is widely expected to be awarded the 2026 event with a joint bid by Mexico, Canada and the United States.