Andy Burnham has revealed ambitions to bring the men's football World Cup back to the United Kingdom in 2042, which would mark the tournament's return to British soil for the first time in nearly 80 years.
The prime minister raised the idea during informal talks with regional mayors at No 10 North in Manchester on Friday, expressing his desire to see the competition staged across the British Isles. England remains the only part of the UK to have hosted the World Cup, having won the trophy on home turf in 1966 when they defeated West Germany 4-2 after extra time at Wembley.
Burnham, an avowed football supporter who holds a season ticket at Everton, previously described it as "insane" that only one World Cup had ever been staged in the UK. Any formal bid for the 2042 tournament is reportedly likely to include the other home nations as well, none of which have ever hosted World Cup matches on their own soil.
Joint hosting arrangements have become increasingly common in international football. The UK and Ireland are already set to jointly stage the men's European Championship in 2028, with matches spread across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
While no official bid process has begun for 2042, sources close to Downing Street indicate the government would back the Football Association if it chose to pursue hosting rights. Burnham is said to hold "broad aspirations" and "a general ambition" toward securing more major sporting events for the UK.
England's most recent attempt to land the World Cup ended in disappointment when its bid for the 2018 tournament lost out to Russia, a decision later clouded by corruption allegations. Burnham, then a member of the shadow cabinet, had voiced discomfort in 2014 that Russia was still permitted to host the event following its annexation of Crimea.
Under FIFA's current rotation policy, European nations are barred from hosting the World Cup until 2042 at the earliest. This stems from a continental rotation system FIFA introduced in 2000, which paved the way for South Africa's landmark 2010 hosting before the strict rule was abandoned in 2007. Even so, a residual regulation prevents any country from bidding if either of the two preceding World Cups took place on the same continent.
The upcoming schedule sees Spain, Portugal and Morocco jointly hosting the 2030 edition, with a handful of matches played in South America to commemorate a century since the inaugural World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930. Saudi Arabia has already been confirmed as host for 2034, while the destination for the 2038 tournament remains undecided—though rules suggest it will likely fall to North America or Oceania.
Beyond football, Burnham also touched on the prospect of the north of England hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games sometime in the 2040s. UK Sport was tasked earlier this year, under former prime minister Keir Starmer, with evaluating the feasibility of such a bid, with officials reportedly weighing a multi-city approach to spread economic benefits across northern England.
A government spokesperson said: "The UK is committed to delivering world-class major sporting events with pride, with the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes Grands Départs 2027 and Uefa Euro 2028 secured, and active bids for the 2029 World Athletics Championships and 2035 Women's World Cup." The spokesperson added that the prime minister intends to keep pursuing sporting events that unite communities, boost regional economies and generate employment nationwide.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.