Scotland in talks over joint British bid for 2030 World Cup

There could be a joint British bid to host the 2030 World Cup. Picture: Matthias Schrader/AP

A joint British bid to host the World Cup in 2030 is under discussion, with the Scottish FA understood to be involved in the talks.

The English FA has already confirmed it is looking to secure the tournament and British Prime Minister Theresa May has expressed her support.

The Welsh say they believe a joint proposal would stand the best chance of success and Uefa has gone on record to say “it would support a pan-
British bid for 2030”.

A feasibility study will now be carried out.

Jonathan Ford, the FA of Wales chief executive, told BBC Wales: “This is something that has come up in conversation and it is something we are looking into. It’s no more than that and there’s going to be no news until at least midway through 2019.

“But there is going to be a little bit of a feasibility study to see whether or not a UK-wide bid, a home nations bid or similar, would be a powerful, strong bid.

“Personally, I think it would be and I think, should we go forward at that stage – which, as I say, won’t be determined until well into 2019 – I think we’d have a very strong and compelling bid.

“There’s a long way to go on it, but it could be 2030, Fifa World Cup in the home nations – what a fantastic opportunity that would be.

“The reality is, for countries like Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, it’s always going to be a case of having to do it in partnership with another and the logical partner for us would be England.”

The Scottish Government would be supportive of any bid, according to BBC Scotland.

Glasgow is due to host matches in the Euro 2020 finals which is being spread across 13 European cities.

Scotland and Republic of Ireland made a joint bid to host Euro 2008 but lost out to Austria and Switzerland. England made a bid to stage the 2018 World Cup finals but lost out to Russia. The 2022 tournament is due to be held in Qatar while the 2026 World Cup will be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Competition to a British bid to host the 2030 tournament will come from South America, with Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay having announced plans to bid. There may also be a North African bid involving Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.