UK and Ireland ditch 2030 World Cup bid in favour of cheaper Euro 2028
The UK and Ireland have abandoned plans to bid to host football’s 2030 World Cup but instead hope to stage the 2028 European Championship.
It comes 11 months after Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged £2.8m towards exploring the possibility of a World Cup bid.
A feasibility study found that it would be better value for money to host the Euros, some of which took place at Wembley last year.
The football associations of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland said they had “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”.
They added: “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.”
The government said Fifa’s current discussions around making the World Cup a biennial event rather than every four years had dissuaded the associations from bidding.
“Following a full feasibility study, and in light of the current uncertainty around the future format of the tournament, we accept the conclusion of the five football associations that now is not the moment to proceed with a bid,” it said.
“We remain passionate about bringing a World Cup to the UK and Ireland when the time is right.
“Meanwhile, the Uefa European Championships are one of the biggest global sporting events. Hosting the full tournament would be an exciting opportunity, bringing significant benefits to the whole of the UK and Ireland.
“We are looking closely at the outcome of this work and, subject to further discussions, hope to be able to confirm Government support for a bid in the coming weeks.”