England Considers Bid to Host 2030 FIFA World Cup
FA chairman Greg Clarke has confirmed that a bid is being prepared to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup in England.
This tournament will mark a century since the first World Cup finals, and countries from Europe and South America will both be eligible to bid.
"Last month the English FA board agreed to conduct feasibility work into the possibility of putting itself forward to be UEFA's potential candidate to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup," Clarke said, as quoted by Sky Sports News.
"This work will take place during the new season and no decision will be made until 2019."
This would be the first time since 2010 that the FA has staged a bid to host the World Cup. On that occasion, they were bidding to host the 2018 World Cup, which was eventually staged in Russia.
FIFA rules state that a confederation hosting the World Cup cannot host either of the subsequent two, meaning that 2030 is the next which can be staged in Europe.
However, it can also be staged in South America and a joint bid from Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will have a lot of backing, due to it being the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup in Uruguay.
Another bid from Morocco is also likely, as they were unsuccessful in their attempts to host the 2026 World Cup. They have tried and failed to host the World Cup on five previous occasions.
There have been talks of England co-hosting the World Cup with the other home nations, though UEFA would be reluctant to allow all four sides to qualify automatically.
The FA has distanced itself from suggestions that it should take over the hosting of the 2022 World Cup if Qatar is stripped of the honour.
