Montevideo to host Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana finals

ASUNCION, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Uruguayan capital Montevideo will host this year's final of both the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana, the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) said on Thursday.

Uruguay was selected because of its relative success in combating COVID-19 and the country's advanced vaccination program, the entity said on its official website.

"The good health situation projected for November in Uruguay, a country that plans to vaccinate a large percentage of its population in July, was decisive in an exceptional year affected by the pandemic," CONMEBOL said.

It added that the 2022 Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana finals would be held in the Ecuadorian port city of Guayaquil and Brazilian capital Brasilia, respectively.

More than a third of Uruguay's 3.5 million inhabitants have received at least one vaccine dose, according to local officials. The country's health ministry has reported around 3,250 COVID-19 deaths and 228,000 confirmed cases of the virus.

The 60,000-capacity Centenario stadium will host the Copa Sudamericana final on November 6 and the Copa Libertadores decider on November 20.

CONMEBOL said the matches would be used to boost Uruguay's bid to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Argentina, Paraguay and Chile. Enditem