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The deputy chief of UK Sport affirms that prioritizing Euro 2028 over a potential joint bid with Ireland for the 2030 World Cup was the correct choice.
The 2030 tournament has now been awarded to Morocco, Portugal and Spain, with three South American nations staging the opening matches to mark the tournament’s centenary, while England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland will co-host the European Championships in four years’ time.
UK Sport has released a list of 70 potential events to host from now until 2040, including the Women’s World Cup. Although there are no set plans to secure the men’s equivalent within a particular time frame, the organization’s executive has not completely disregarded the idea of adding it to a future list.
Simon Morton, the deputy CEO of UK Sport, stated that in the past year or two, when looking at the bidding process for the FIFA World Cup, one factor that Football Associations had to take into account was the feasibility of winning the bid. This consideration was applied to every event we pursued going forward.
“I believe it was a wise choice as it allowed us to efficiently transition our plans concerning the World Cup to ensure that the Euros, which is truly a global event, would be held in the UK. This also secures the unique partnership between the four UK home countries and the Republic of Ireland, making it a huge achievement.”
“Therefore, I contemplate this and believe it was a beneficial decision.”
The bid and organizing of significant international sports events in the United Kingdom are supported by UK Sport through funding from the National Lottery and the government.
The priciest and biggest events on their agenda, such as the Women’s World Cup, go beyond the organization’s monetary constraints and therefore necessitate financial aid from the corresponding governments of the host countries.
A lot of the events we aim for are first considered as opportunities without any obligations. This is followed by a feasibility study which looks into aspects like choosing a venue, budget, and the likelihood of success in the competition, for those who are chosen to move on to the next phase.
Morton restated that hosting a men’s World Cup is not something on our agenda for the 2024-2040 period. When asked if there are plans to host one in the 2040s, Morton clarified, “That is not our intention.”
We do not have a specific goal of hosting the men’s World Cup in a particular year from our point of view. However, as our program develops and progresses over the next three or four years, this may become a priority for us.
“I am referring to the main responsibility of the football associations, who must also determine if a bid will proceed or not.”
The presence of Saudi Arabia in international competitive events is becoming more common.
Simon Morton, the deputy CEO of UK Sport.
The most recent update from UK Sport includes a fresh strategic blueprint for big events that prioritizes social impact and accessibility.
The international hosting landscape has evolved and become more competitive, particularly in the case of Saudi Arabia, who look certain to host the 2034 World Cup after emerging as the sole bidder.
Morton stated, “There has been a noticeable increase in the influence of Saudi money and their actions, and it appears that the acceptance of Saudi’s role and involvement in the international competitive scene has become more commonplace, especially in the past year or two.”
This is the reason why the UK must take action. It is one of the factors that have led to us outlining our current plans.
Source: independent.co.uk
