Chile won the bid 32 votes to 11 against Argentina ( another contestant , West Germany , withdrew before the voting could take place ) , and Dittborn was selected head of the World Cup organizing committee . With full support from the federal government , work was started in Chile . However , on May 21 , 1960 , a massive earthquake struck the country , followed by an even bigger one the next day . The second one was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded on Earth , peaking at 9.5 on the Richter scale
even bigger one
1960 Valdivia earthquake
Carlos Dittborn