FIFA recently announced that the 2030 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by Spain, Morocco, and Portugal, with the first-round matches also taking place in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. This decision commemorates the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup, held in Uruguay in 1930.

A state-of-the-art venue for Paraguay

Shortly after the announcement, Paraguayan club Olimpia Asunción revealed the design of its new stadium, Osvaldo Domínguez Dibb Stadium, which will be one of the venues for the 2030 World Cup. The renovated stadium will have a seating capacity of over 46,000. The facility will include 338 luxury boxes, with 198 in the western section, 40 pitch-level suites, 40 in the eastern section, and 36 in the northern and southern sections. The stadium will feature VIP/VVIP areas, hospitality zones, four fan zones, and eight food court patios.

Olimpia guarantees that the stadium will be the largest and most modern sports facility in Paraguay, meeting FIFA’s standards for inclusivity, accessibility, and sustainability. The promotional material for the project not only showcased the field but also highlighted additional spaces such as the official club shop and Museum of Eternity.

A tribute to a club legend

The expected completion date for the stadium is 2027, and the name will honor the legendary club figure Osvaldo Domínguez Dibb, who passed away earlier this year. Domínguez Dibb was also the father of Alejandro Domínguez, the current president of CONMEBOL. The new stadium will be built on the site of the current club stadium, Estadio Manuel Ferreira, which has a seating capacity of 17,000.

Despite many possibilities, a decision was finally made

In 2017, Uruguay and Argentina officially announced their intention to bid for hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2030. That same year, Paraguay joined the initiative, followed by Chile in 2019. At the end of July 2024, on the occasion of publishing the bid books for the 2030 FIFA World Cup by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, as well as Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, proposals were presented, including plans for a stadium in Paraguay where one of the World Cup matches would be held.

Paraguay does not have a modern stadium capable of hosting a match of this caliber. Initially, it seemed that the World Cup match would take place at Estadio CONMEBOL. This was to be a completely new facility, with a very preliminary concept presented in 2023. However, there were no further updates on this project. The bid included proposals for the renovation of Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Estadio General Pablo Rojas, or the aforementioned Estadio Manuel Ferreira. As an alternative, a proposal was presented for a completely new Paraguayan National Stadium.

© Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol | Estadio Nacional del Paraguay