FIFA chief tells FA exactly where they stand over bid to host 2038 World Cup
The UK has not hosted the World Cup since the nation's only success in 1966 but a FIFA big wig is backing a fresh bid to see the tournament returning to the home nations very soon
Football could finally be set to come home, with a major FIFA chief backing England to host the 2038 World Cup. The UK have hosted the tournament just once in it's near 100-year history, with the Three Lions recording their solitary success in 1966.
Since then, FIFA have adopted a rotating approach to dishing out hosting rights with each continent receiving the tournament every 12 years. The previous World Cup was hosted by Qatar.
The next edition will be shared between Canada, Mexico and the United States, while 2030 will also be divided between Morocco, Portugal and Spain - albeit there will be special anniversary matches in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. 2034 hosts have also been confirmed as Saudi Arabia.
But FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani has given his backing to the UK returning to the hosting roster very soon. England previously applied to host the 2006 and 2018 World Cups but lost out on both occasions.
Speaking to The Times, Montagliani said: "I can't see why, not just England but the United Kingdom shouldn't be hosting the World Cup. I think it would be a fantastic World Cup and I think they should seriously think of putting their foot forward to host. We all know what the game means in the UK and I think it's time.'
The hosting decisions have garnered criticism from supporters over recent years, with some federations spending huge sums on their bids, only to see them fail. But Montagliani claims the current approach is the correct one to make it fair for all countries.
He added: "I support what we have done in recent history, I think it's the only way. Now it shouldn't be the Fifa president's decision alone, he has a board, he has a council.
'But I think the old way we used to do it where people just waste their money and then all these shenanigans happen. That's ridiculous. Let's get away from that.
'Let's become a proper business. Let's have an event management strategy so that we're properly rotating it, everybody gets a crack at it.
'The reality is that the World Cup generates 80 to 90 per cent of Fifa's income, which then sends 80 per cent of that back to its members for the development of football.
"And if Fifa doesn't generate that money there is a significant number of the 211 countries that do not have the funds to develop football.'
England, who are two games into their qualifying campaign, are one of the favourites to finally end 50 years of hurt next summer under the guidance of Thomas Tuchel. The Three Lions reached the semi-finals in 2018, only to lose out to Croatia. They also reached the quarter-finals in 2022 but fell to eventual finalists France in Qatar.
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