The UK and Ireland are set to scrap their 2030 World Cup bid in favour of launching an effort to host the 2028 European Championship.
Senior figures within the English Football Association believe a bid for the 2030 World Cup is ‘unlikely to succeed’ and attentions are being turned towards an alternative proposal to land Euro 2028.
The Guardian are reporting that a joint-bid from the UK and Ireland for the World Cup faces ‘several challenges’, including a strong combined European bid from Spain and Portugal and the prospect of multiple South American countries forming a joint-bid on the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup in Uruguay.
There are fears that the bid will fail to gain widespread support from each of the 211 members of the FIFA congress, with England having received just two votes during their efforts to land the 2018 edition of the tournament.
The Scottish FA are also ‘cautious’ about committing to 2030 after failing to receive funding from the UK government for the refurbishment of Hampden Park as part of the deal.
An alternative approach for the European Championship is now said to be ‘gaining traction’ inside the five associations of the UK and Ireland, with a decision – or offer – to host the 2030 World Cup needing to be submitted before March 31.
