Asunción (Paraguay) to host the Pan American Games in 2031

(AFP) Asunción will host the Pan American Games in 2031 after beating a joint bid of the Brazilian cities of Rio de Janeiro and Niterói, Panam Sports announced Friday.

The U.S. Olympic committees chose Paraguay’s capital, Asunción, Panam Sports President Neven Ilic of Chile announced during an extraordinary assembly in Santiago.

The Paraguayan capital had previously competed to host the 2027 Pan American Games, the next to be held, but lost by a handful of votes to Lima (Peru).

Asunción was up against the Brazilian city duo of Rio de Janeiro and Niteroi, which it beat by 28 votes to 24.

Forty National Olympic Committees took part in the vote, of which 12 had an extra vote for having previously hosted the Games.

Representatives of each bid had 40 minutes to present their proposals to the Panam Sports Executive Committee.

Asunción announced plans to invest nearly $390 million, while the Rio-Niterói bid offered $667 million.

"We want to break with the paradigm and show that countries small in size can organize events of great magnitude, with excellence, planning and vision," said Paraguay Olympic Committee President Camilo Perez Lopez in his presentation.

The most recent Pan American Games were held in Santiago de Chile between October and November 2023.

6,900 athletes competed in 40 sports and 59 disciplines.

The United States has topped the medal table in 17 of the 19 editions held so far.