Estadio CONMEBOL: What we know about Paraguay’s new 2030 World Cup stadium

The 2030 World Cup will be unique as the first World Cup to be held across three different continents. To celebrate the competition’s centenary, in addition to the tournament’s main base across Spain, Portugal and Morocco, FIFA announced last month that three games will be held in three different South American countries.

One of those is Paraguay, where CONMEBOL, the continent’s equivalent of UEFA, is based. The organisation has announced that it will be building a brand new stadium – Estadio CONMEBOL – to host its World Cup match. Here’s what we know about the stadium so far.

What do we already know about Estadio CONMEBOL?

Having only been announced recently, there are many aspects of Estadio CONMEBOL that we don't yet know about. However, there is some information already out there. We know, for example, that the planned capacity is 50,000, which would make it the largest stadium in Paraguay and the 24^th-largest in South America.

It is expected to cost between $100 million and $250 million to build and, according to CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez, will be complete with “the latest technology, all the FIFA requirements and be of the highest level in the world.”

The stadium will be built in Asunción, the capital of Paraguay, although the specific location has not yet been decided upon. There is a chance it will be built alongside CONMEBOL headquarters in Luque, northeast of the Asunción metropolitan area.

A completion date for Estadio CONMEBOL has not yet been announced.

How will this compare to other stadiums in Paraguay?

As previously mentioned, Estadio CONMEBOL would be the largest stadium in the country. Currently, the two highest-capacity stadiums are also in Asunción. Estadio General Pablo Rojas is currently the largest, with a capacity of 45,000. It is home to Cerro Porteño, who are currently second in the Paraguayan Primera División and last won the league in 2021.

Estadio Defensores del Chaco, home to the Paraguay national team, has a capacity of just over 42,000. It was opened in 1917 and held the very first Copa Libertadores final in 1960.

Initially, the plan was to construct a 45,000-capacity Estadio CONMEBOL. However, that was revised upward to 50,000 seats. Plans also show that apart from 45,000 seats, Estadio CONMEBOL will accommodate up to 60,000 spectators.

How will Estadio CONMEBOL look like?

Preliminary designs show that Estadio CONMEBOL will be like any other high-profile stadium, with all the essentials to keep fans safe and entertained. There will be a green surrounding, split-level stands, shops and bars. The construction of the proposed 2020 World Cup venue will be undertaken by CONMEBOL in collaboration with the Paraguayan government. Notably, a huge part of the construction costs will be undertaken by the Football Confederation.

Initial estimates of the construction costs are somewhere between $100 and $250 million, which we must say is quite modest compared to other high-flying stadium constructions and renovations currently taking place in some parts of Europe.

With the modernization of stadiums becoming commonplace today,  Estadio CONMEBOL is expected to have the highest quality standards that meet global demands such as the use of green technology for sustainability.

What would happen to Estadio CONMEBOL after the World Cup?

Very little is known about what would happen to the stadium after it has hosted the match at the 2030 World Cup. However, there has been some speculation that it would become the new home of Asunción-based Club Olimpia. Alejandro Domínguez, who announced the stadium, is a well-known supporter and was vice president of the club between 2002 and 2005.

Club Olimpia’s current stadium, Estadio Manuel Ferreira, has a capacity of only 20,000, less than half that of local rivals Cerro Porteño.

There is also a good chance that Estadio CONMEBOL will be used to host the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana finals.

Other news also states that Estadio CONMEBOL will after the 2030 World Cup, be used to host international events, including football. The South American Football Confederation will be solely in charge of the stadium. Moreover, the stadium will be open to host games on a daily basis and the fact that the new venue will be situated next to the CONMEBOL headquarters means the South American football governing body is serious about having it completed before 2030.

There is also no doubt that Estadio CONMEBOl will also host important South American football contests such as Copa Sudamerican and Copa Libertadores, especially the finals at some point in the future.

What other countries will be hosting the World Cup?

In addition to Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina will each host one game at the 2030 World Cup. 100 years after Uruguay beat Argentina 4-2 in the final of the very first World Cup, Estadio Centenario in Uruguay, the site of that victory, will host the opening game in 2030.

What other stadiums are being built for the 2030 World Cup?

Most of the other confederations involved in hosting the World Cup are electing to use existing stadiums to host their matches. The only other country which has announced plans to build a stadium is Morocco.

Fouzi Lekjaa, head of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, announced last month that the North African nation will be building a 93,000-seater stadium in Benslimane, near Casablanca. It is scheduled to be completed in 2028.