UK and Ireland drop joint 2030 World Cup to launch Euro 2028 bid
The European Championship trophy
The English Football Association has confirmed it will abandon attempts to stage the 2030 World Cup and instead bid to host Euro 2028 alongside the other home nations and the Republic of Ireland.
The associations of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Republic have been encouraged to launch a Euros bid after carrying out a feasibility study into co-hosting the tournament.
The five nations had intended to bid for the 2030 World Cup together, though faced several obstacles to success.
Spain and Portugal will also submit a joint-bid for that tournament, with Uefa only expected to back one European candidate, while a South American bid is aiming to tie in with the centenary of the first World Cup held in Uruguay.
An FA statement read: “On balance, the five associations have decided to focus solely on an official bid to host Uefa Euro 2028, and have agreed not to bid for the 2030 Fifa World Cup.
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“Hosting a Uefa Euro offers a similar return on investment, with the European tournament carrying a far lower delivery cost and the potential of the benefits being realised sooner.
“It would be an honour and a privilege to collectively host Uefa 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.
“We believe the UK and the Republic of Ireland can offer Uefa and European football something special in 2028 – a compact and unique five-way hosting collaboration that will provide a great experience for the teams and the fans.”
The closing date for applications to host Euro 2028 is 23 March. The five-nation bid could face competition from Turkey, who have failed with five successive bids to host the European Championships.
The proposed 2030 World Cup bid was backed by the UK government, featuring in the Conservative party’s 2019 general election manifesto alongside a commitment to invest £550m of funding into the sport.
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