The FA will study the feasibility of England hosting the 2030 World Cup.GETTY IMAGES
The FA "agreed to carry out a feasibility study" into an England bid for the 2030 World Cup, according to Martyn Ziegler of the LONDON TIMES. The FA board agreed to the study "taking place before a decision next year." England would face "strong opposition" from a joint Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay bid, which is "targeting 2030 as 100 years since the first World Cup, which was hosted by Uruguay." It is understood the study "will also look at any positive and negative benefits from bidding jointly with some or all of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland." FA Chair Greg Clarke confirmed the decision in a statement. The statement was "carefully-worded" -- the fact it refers to "UEFA's potential candidate" highlights the FA’s belief that it would have to either be the only European bidder or "at the very least the only bid formally endorsed" by UEFA. Clarke believes England would have to have UEFA's full backing, and UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin "has also stated he only wants one European candidate" (LONDON TIMES, 8/1).
