England PULL OUT of ‘doomed’ 2030 World Cup bid as FA chiefs turn attention to hosting Euro 2028 instead
FA CHIEFS have abandoned the planned 2030 World Cup bid - and targeted the 2028 European Championships.
The five British Isles FAs launched their feasibility study over the proposed England-led bid in 2018.
That was cranked up when PM Boris Johnson gave public support for the idea and Chancellor Rishi Sunak promised £11m in funding.
But senior Uefa figures counselled Wembley chiefs that a World Cup bid was doomed to failure and was unlikely to emerge as Europe’s standard-bearer, with President Aleksander Ceferin believing the joint proposal from Spain and Portugal had more chance of success.
That advice prompted a rethink among the five nations.
And today a joint statement confirmed that “following an extensive feasibility study”, the five associations “have agreed to focus on a bid to host Uefa Euro 2028”.
The statement explained: “The feasibility study included an analysis of the economic impact, the political football landscape and likely costs of hosting major international tournaments.
“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.
“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.”
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They added: “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.
“We continue to collaborate with our Government Partners of the UK and Ireland about the next steps.”