Boris Johnson backs bid to host 2030 Fifa World Cup

2 March 2021, 06:05

Boris Johnson has backed a joint bid from the UK and Ireland to host the 2030 World Cup, saying it's the "right time" to "bring football home".

The English Football Association said on Twitter that it welcomed "the Government's pledge of £2.8million towards a potential bid" for the 2030 World Cup.

In an interview with The Sun, the Prime Minister said: "We are very, very keen to bring football home in 2030. I do think it's the right place.

"It's the home of football, it's the right time. It will be an absolutely wonderful thing for the country."

A feasibility study is under way and will continue before the formal bidding process begins in 2022.

A joint statement released by the FA and the football associations of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland on Monday evening read: "The football associations and Government partners of the UK and Ireland are delighted that the UK Government has committed to support a prospective five-association bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

"We will continue to undertake feasibility work to assess the viability of a bid before FIFA formally open the process in 2022.

"Staging a FIFA World Cup would provide an incredible opportunity to deliver tangible benefits for our nations.

"If a decision is made to bid for the event, we look forward to presenting our hosting proposals to FIFA and the wider global football community."

The 2022 World Cup will take place in Qatar next year, while the 2026 tournament is to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

England have not hosted the World Cup since the victorious 1966 campaign.|

London, Glasgow and Dublin are among the 12 host cities for the delayed 2020 European Championship, which is scheduled to take place this summer.