Uruguay May Demolish Centenario Stadium For World Cup Bid

Montevideo's Centenario stadium could be demolished, but 100m tower will be maintained.GETTY IMAGES

Uruguay may demolish the historic Centenario stadium "as part of its bid to host the 2030 World Cup," according to the AP. Uruguay Sports Secretary Fernando Cáceres said that "six projects were being considered for a new stadium." The Centenario was built in 1930 to host the first World Cup. In all six projects, the existing 100m tower would be maintained as a tribute to Uruguayan teams that won the Gold Medals at the 1924 and 1928 Olympics. Cáceres said that the Centenario "cannot resist any longer because its maintenance is very costly and is not adapted to modern sporting entertainment." The stadium hosts Uruguay matches and also games for the two biggest clubs in the country, Peñarol and Nacional. Those two teams, however, do not "play there regularly." Cáceres said that up to $300M could be invested for a new Centenario and a decision on a new project "could be made within four months" (AP, 4/12).