World Cup 2030 request: History here from PA Media.
Parliament will examine next week whether public funds pledged to consider a bid by the United Kingdom and Ireland to host the 2030 World Cup represent good value for taxpayers.
The multi-party committee on digital, culture, media and sport (DCMS) will question UK Sport funding authority on Tuesday about £2.8m of government funds earmarked for a feasibility study into the possibility of participating in the tournament.
The commission will also look at how hosting major sporting and cultural events can help the UK maximize ‘soft power’ and also the cost to the BBC of securing rights to such events.
Among the witnesses called, UK sports director Simon Morton and BBC sports director Barbara Slater.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged £2.8m for a feasibility study earlier this year, saying at the time: “We are very excited to bring football home in 2030. I think it’s the right place.
“It’s the home of football, and the time is right. It would be something absolutely fantastic for the country.”
FIFA is expected to draw up bidding regulations for the 2030 World Cup in the second quarter of next year.
The governing body for world football is currently consulting on plans for the biennial World Cup, which begins in 2026.
The plans were severely challenged by UEFA. Federation president Aleksander Ceferin said European nations could boycott the tournament if plans went ahead.
The FA would presumably be interested in submitting a proposal for Euro 2028, but it is known that its priority remains the feasibility study for 2030.
UK Sport said in May it had allocated 97 events in 44 sports, including 46 world championships, which the country is interested in hosting by 2031.
In addition to the 2030 FIFA Men’s World Cup, the UK’s sports plan also included the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup and the 2031 Ryder’s Cup in golf.
Morton said at the time: “These events are not only part of our strategy, they are also in line with the government’s strategy and we have been encouraged by the government’s commitment to building an impressive track record of hosting the UK’s largest international sport.
“These events will play an important role not only in our economic recovery from the pandemic, but also in our social recovery.”
All six Nordic nations issued a position paper outlining their opposition to the biennial World Cup on Friday.
They argued that the plans would take the Women’s European Championship and Women’s World Cup out of the public eye, and said federations could not expect clubs to release female players if they did not agree to the timetable.
The document concluded: “If a majority in FIFA decides to adopt a proposal for a biennial FIFA World Cup, the Nordic football associations will need to consider further actions and scenarios that are closer to our core values than the current FIFA proposal.”
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