Sat Feb 01 04:46:07 UTC 2025: ## Paraguay Bids for 2030 Youth Olympics, Leverages World Cup Spot

**Lausanne, Switzerland –** Paraguayan President Santiago Peña has launched a bid to bring the 2030 Youth Olympic Games to Asunción, capitalizing on the country’s role as a co-host of the 2030 FIFA World Cup. President Peña met with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach on Thursday to present the bid, emphasizing Paraguay’s capacity to host major sporting events.

The bid positions Paraguay as a central hub for international sports in 2030, coinciding with its hosting of a World Cup opening game. The scale of the Youth Olympics, which previously featured 4,000 athletes across 32 sports, aligns with Paraguay’s experience hosting the upcoming Junior Pan-American Games.

President Peña acknowledged Paraguay’s relatively low global profile, stating that many are unfamiliar with the country. He sees hosting these major events as a pathway to increased international recognition and a way to counter the country’s historical isolation from the global sporting stage. Paraguay is also bidding to host the 2031 Pan-American Games.

Paraguay’s football team has a strong track record, including a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics and a likely qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The country’s involvement in the 2030 World Cup, secured through an unprecedented six-nation co-hosting agreement, further strengthens its bid. This agreement, finalized in October 2023, also paved the way for Saudi Arabia’s uncontested bid for the 2034 tournament.

President Peña’s efforts have involved close collaboration with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who will chair the next FIFA annual meeting in Asunción in May. This meeting came about after a proposal by President Peña in December 2023. With Infantino also an IOC member, his support for Paraguay’s bid is significant. Other countries, including Denmark, India, and Thailand, have also expressed interest in hosting the 2030 Youth Olympics. A decision on the host city is expected this year, before President Bach leaves office in June.

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