October 1 – The British government says it would provide the necessary financial guarantees for a joint UK-Ireland 2030 FIFA World Cup bid.
The football associations of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are considering putting forward a proposal to stage the tournament.
“The decision on whether to bid is for the football associations to make. If they decide to go forward, they can count on this government’s full support,” said UK Prime Minister Theresa May.
England and Wales both released statements on Friday confirming that the five national governing bodies are “in discussions about the feasibility of bidding to be the European candidate” to host the event.
The last major men’s football tournament played in the UK was the 1996 European Championship, which England hosted 30 years after staging its only World Cup.
England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup ended in humiliation after it received just two votes from FIFA’s 22-member executive committee in December 2010.
Any UK bid for 2030 would face strong opposition from Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay since 2030 marks the 100-year anniversary of the first World Cup that was held in Uruguay. Morocco has announced it is also bidding again, with its north African neighbours or possibly with Spain and Portugal.
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