Ireland and the UK are to make a joint bid to host the 2030 Fifa World Cup, a Government spokesman has confirmed. In a joint statement, the five football associations of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales said that they were delighted to support a prospective bid for the tournament. The Government spokesman said that the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media would assess the viability of a bid for the tournament with the UK. He said UK chancellor Rishi Sunak would commit £2.5 million (€3.2 million) in the British budget on Wednesday to fund the UK and Ireland’s joint pitch to host the tournament. “Staging a Fifa World Cup would provide an incredible opportunity to deliver tangible benefits for our nations,” said the joint statement by the Football Association of Ireland, Northern Ireland’s Irish Football Association, the English FA, the Football Association of Wales and the Scottish FA.

Source: The Irish Times March 01, 2021 23:10 UTC