A British and Irish bid for the 2030 World Cup would create “significantly higher” commercial returns than one from South America at a time of financial uncertainty, a FIFA vice-presidential candidate has said. A feasibility study is assessing whether the UK and Ireland will go ahead with a 2030 bid, with the formal bidding regulations being fixed by FIFA in the second quarter of 2022. If selected as UEFA’s choice, which itself is by no means guaranteed, the UK and Ireland would likely go forward to face a bid from South America. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has given his backing to a 2030 World Cup bid (PA)Uruguay hosted the inaugural World Cup in 1930, and the sentimental attraction of playing the centenary finals on the same continent is obvious, but O’Connor believes the commercial virtues might be decisive. “I’m sure the commercial return of a UK bid would be significantly higher than any South American bid.

Source: Express April 17, 2021 11:03 UTC