One of the "biggest powerbrokers in world football has urged England to bid for the 2030 World Cup, saying that there would be widespread support for the country to host the tournament," according to Martyn Ziegler of the LONDON TIMES. Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has also "provided advice on how an England bid could avoid the problems suffered" in attempts to host the '06 and '18 tournaments. The sheikh said that the "key to success" would be for England to secure the support of UEFA to be the sole bid from Europe, which would "probably be up against a joint bid from Argentina and Uruguay, who want the tournament to mark the centenary of the first World Cup." The prospect of an England bid for '30 was raised by then-FA Chair Greg Dyke in February after Gianni Infantino's election as FIFA president. FA insiders said that "no more attention has been given to the idea and that it would want to wait" until hosting the semifinals and final of Euro 2020 before making a final decision. FIFA would "probably not vote until seven years before the tournament." Nevertheless, the backing of Sheikh Salman, an "anglophile" ManU fan who is "close to" Premier League CEO Richard Scudamore, is a "significant development." Sheikh Salman said, "I would be in favor of England bidding in 2030 and I'm sure there would be widespread support from other confederations as well because the country is so well equipped to host the World Cup" (LONDON TIMES, 1/12). ESPN.com reported England last hosted the World Cup in '66, when the nation won the tournament, and the European Championship "also took place in the country" in '96. The country will not be able to bid for the 2026 World Cup, with the FIFA Council deciding in November that the tournament should not be held in any one continent more than once every 12 years. U.S., Canada and Mexico are reportedly in talks over a three-way bid for '26 (ESPN.com, 1/12).
