Estadio CONMEBOL – design description

How did the Estadio CONMEBOL project come about?

In 2017, Uruguay and Argentina officially announced their intention to bid to host the 2030 World Cup, with Paraguay also joining the initiative in the same year and Chile in 2019. The special occasion for hosting the 2030 World Cup in South America was to be the 100th anniversary of the first tournament, which was held in Uruguay.

On March 31, 2023, at the 76th CONMEBOL congress, the 18 stadiums where the event was intended to be held were presented. The list included five venues from Paraguay, of which four already existed: Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Estadio General Pablo Rojas, Estadio Antonio Aranda and Estadio Villa Alegre.

The fifth stadium was to be a completely new facility, whose first renderings were presented at this very congress, during the presentation of a video of the proposed stadiums. The project was named Estadio CONMEBOL, and the first details of the new stadium were revealed by CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez.

What were the assumptions behind the new Estadio CONMEBOL?

The project was an initiative of the South American football confederation (CONMEBOL), which is based in Paraguay, in the city of Luque, which is part of the Asunción metropolitan area (right next to the international airport). According to initial reports, the new stadium was to have a capacity of 45,000 spectators, and 60,000 spectators if awarded the hosting of the World Cup. Later information spoke of a capacity of 50,000 spectators.

The facility was to be used by the confederation for international events, perhaps even for the Copa Libertadores or Copa Sudamericana finals. It was also to be open for local games on a daily basis. The stadium was to be built in Asunción or its suburbs, possibly right next to CONMEBOL headquarters itself (the confederation purchased the Estadio General Adrián Jara next door in August 2022).

The new stadium was to comply with the highest global standards, use the latest technology, and implement ideas of sustainability, becoming an “icon of South American football.” The facility was to have a football-specific profile. Initial renderings showed covered, split-tiered stands or a striking facade. Surrounding the stadium, green areas were planned, as well as bars and stores.

The facility was to be built in cooperation between CONMEBOL and the Paraguayan government, although a major part of the cost was to be borne by the confederation. According to very preliminary estimates, construction of the stadium was expected to cost between $100 million and $250 million.

Could the Estadio CONMEBOL be one of the venues for the 2030 World Cup?

On October 11, 2023, FIFA officially announced the hosts of the 2030 World Cup. The tournament will be held mainly in Spain, Portugal and Morocco (at the end of the selection process, this was the only counter-candidate of South American countries), but in view of the 100th anniversary, a gesture was also made towards Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, which will each host one game at the start of the tournament.

Initially, it was expected that the stadium from Paraguay to host the World Cup match would be the new Estadio CONMEBOL. It is very possible that the existence of this project (in the absence of other modern stadiums in the country), as well as the influence of Paraguayan Alejandro Domínguez, president of CONMEBOL, was decisive in the decision to include Paraguay as co-host at all.

After that, however, there were no new reports regarding Estadio CONMEBOL. At the end of July 2024, on the occasion of the publication of the bid of Spain, Portugal and Morocco, as well as Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to host the 2030 World Cup (bid book), completely different proposals emerged for a stadium in Paraguay, which would host one World Cup match.

The bid presented a project to upgrade Estadio Defensores del Chaco, which could possibly also be adapted to upgrade Estadio General Pablo Rojas or Estadio Manuel Ferreira. A project for a completely new Paraguay National Stadium was presented as an alternative, and the Estadio CONMEBOL was not mentioned.