World Cup 2030 bid by home nations and Ireland nears with stadium picks

The momentum for a joint 2030 World Cup bid in the spring of next year by the British and Irish football associations is expected to build on Friday with the drawing up of a shortlist of potential stadiums.

A meeting between governing bodies is the latest in a long-running feasibility study by the four home nations and the Republic of Ireland after failed bids by England for 2006 and 2018.

A broad agreement has already been reached that any bid should not be too London-centric - with a maximum of three stadiums in the capital under consideration.

The talks in Rome take place  after England’s standing with the Fifa received a timely boost. Greg Clarke, the FA chairman, was elected vice-president of the world governing body on Thursday, replacing David Gill in the £190,000-per-year role. “It allows English football to be represented on the highest stage,” he said. “I get to go to the Fifa Council and begin the debate on how we grow global football, where tournaments are awarded.”

Clarke is among officials meeting in Rome to discuss World Cup credentials across Britain and the Republic of Ireland. Some of the UK’s biggest grounds - such as Old Trafford, Anfield and, potentially, Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium - would need significant modifications to meet Fifa’s hosting specifications. The venues, if chosen, may need to be adapted by making more run-off space at the sides of the pitches, and increased room for photographers.

The FA and its partner associations are expected to agree on a 40,000-seat minimum for the bid. Northern Ireland’s Windsor Park has a capacity of just 18,000, but the other nations have stadiums big enough. Fifa has final say on which venues would be used.

READ MORE: FA chairman Greg Clarke lands £190,000-per-year role as FIFA vice-president

The latest meeting, triggered by a Uefa Congress gathering of international officials in Rome, is the second time the associations have met to discuss the bid.

The potential bid has the backing of Theresa May. In October, UK Sport said hosting the 2030 World Cup would be the “crowning achievement” for major events planned for the home nations over the next 15 years. As well as the World Cup, the government’s elite sport agency would like to attract the starts of all three of cycling’s grand tours by 2025, stage a Ryder Cup in England and bid again for the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups.

The 2018 bid ended in embarrassment for England, who were out in the first round with only two votes, with one of those coming from the FA’s own representative on Fifa’s executive committee.

Instead, Russia landed the 2018 tournament and Qatar stunned the world by winning the right to stage it in 2022, while a joint bid from Canada, Mexico and the United States beat Morocco for the 2026 World Cup at Fifa’s Congress this summer.

England staged their only World Cup tournament in 1966. The failure with subsequent bids has often been blamed on a perceived anti-English bias from some elements within Fifa. But Clarke’s election will certainly do the chances of a joint bid no harm.

Clarke, who continues in his part-time role with the FA, now stands to earn more than £750,000 over four years from Fifa.

“I didn’t do it for the money and today was the first time I had that number,” he said.

The FA, Premier League and other governing bodies are due to meet the Government in the next few weeks to discuss a recent surge in racism.

Clarke said he was passionate about finding solutions, and said the internet may be to blame for helping normalise abuse.

“I think what we need are some considered proposals to address emerging issues, in that we need to make sure that people who play the game, people who watch the game, people who referee the game are all safe from abuse and violence and threats. We’re coming up with a  cohesive approach between stakeholders and between government on how we can improve it.”