London, Europe Brief News – The UK and Ireland have cancelled plans for a joint bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Instead, the two countries will focus on a joint campaign to host Euro 2028.
The football associations of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Ireland have concluded that the European Championship represents a better option than the World Cup. The decision came after conducting a feasibility study, backed by UK government money.
“On balance, the five associations have decided to focus solely on an official bid to host Euro 2028 and have agreed not to bid for the 2030 World Cup,” they said in a statement.
“Hosting a Euro offers a similar return on investment. The European tournament is carrying a far lower delivery cost and the potential of the benefits.”
“It would be an honour and a privilege to collectively host Euro 2028 and to welcome all of Europe. It would also be a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate the true impact of hosting a world-class football tournament. By driving positive change and leaving a lasting legacy across our communities.”
The World Cup bid has come under attack as an “expensive vanity project” by Julian Knight, the lawmaker who chairs the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee. This came after the failed solo attempts by England to stage the 2006 and 2018 World Cups.
UEFA announced last year that parties interested in hosting Euro 2028 need to confirm that interest by March 23. The bidders will be announced on April 5. The bidding process for the 2032 finals will also run in parallel.
