FIFA announced on Monday that Argentina has been selected as the new host for the upcoming Under-20 World Cup, which will take place from May 20 to June 11, 2023. This decision comes after FIFA revoked Indonesia’s right to stage the tournament due to issues related to Israel’s participation.
The decision to remove Indonesia as the host country came after the country’s Football Association canceled the draw that was supposed to be held in Bali, as the governor refused to host Israel’s team. This move by Indonesia led to protests against Israel’s participation in the tournament, as Indonesia and Israel do not have formal diplomatic relations and support for the Palestinian cause is high in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation.
Argentina formally submitted its bid to host the Under-20 World Cup just one day after Indonesia lost its hosting rights, at the South American Football Confederation Congress. FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed his gratitude towards the Argentinian Football Association (AFA) and its President Claudio Tapia, as well as the governmental authorities, for their commitment to hosting the tournament at such short notice, stating in a statement, “Having this year’s edition taking place in a country that lives and breathes football will be a tremendous inspiration for the stars of tomorrow.”
The official draw for the tournament will take place on Friday, April 21 at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, as confirmed by FIFA. This will determine the groups and schedule for the participating teams.
Argentina has previously hosted the Under-20 World Cup in 2001, when they won their fourth of a record six titles. In addition to hosting the youth tournament, Argentina is also in the running to jointly host the World Cup finals in 2030 with Uruguay, Chile, and Paraguay, which adds to the country’s football ambitions.
