'Boris Johnson wants to generate post-Covid feel-good factor with 2030 World Cup'

2 March 2021, 15:29

Boris Johnson is backing a prospective joint bid from the UK and Ireland to host the 2030 World Cup
Boris Johnson is backing a prospective joint bid from the UK and Ireland to host the 2030 World Cup. Picture: PA

By Sam Sholli

Boris Johnson is backing a prospective joint bid from the UK and Ireland to host the 2030 World Cup as he aims to create a post-Covid "feel-good factor", LBC has been told.

A joint statement from the football associations concerned on Monday evening said: "The football associations and Government partners of the UK and Ireland are delighted that the UK Government has committed to support a prospective five-association bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

"We will continue to undertake feasibility work to assess the viability of a bid before FIFA formally open the process in 2022."

Speaking of the reasoning behind a potential World Cup bid Kieran Maguire, author of the Price of Football, told LBC: "I think it's trying to generate a feel-good factor to encourage people to look beyond Covid, with a view to showing that the UK can host huge events.

England World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst says backs a ban on children heading footballs

"We saw this successfully in 2012 with the Olympics. It's all part of Boris Johnson's sort of positive mentality. He's by nature a hopeful person.

"And therefore what is a relatively small investment in Government terms could turn out to be something which is successful in terms of driving tourism and infrastructure benefits."

Ex-footballer explains what happened when he spoke to anti-BLM fans

Speaking of the potential financial cost of such a bid, he added: "I think we have to be very cautious. The benefit we have in the UK is that the stadiums are already there [and] the infrastructure is already there.

"So the additional costs to the public purse [and] to the football industry itself would be relatively small."

More Shelagh Fogarty News

See more More Shelagh Fogarty News

The Princess of Wales says she edited the photograph that was released to mark Mother's Day.

The insistence that we see Kate is tantamount to stalking, writes Shelagh Fogarty

Caller tells Shelagh his solution to illegal immigration.

LBC caller tells Shelagh Fogarty that the Channel islands are the answer to 'illegal immigration'

'Rishi Sunak chooses to do the self interested party politics': Shelagh Fogarty reflects on Tories' immigration policies

'Rishi Sunak chooses to do the self-interested party politics': Shelagh Fogarty reflects on Tories' migration policies

Shelagh Fogarty

Former Treasury official outlines 'three immediate priorities' likely to be reflected in Autumn Statement

Shelagh Fogarty

Suella Braverman's hardline crime bill seems like she's ‘interviewing' for career at ‘pathetic’ news channels, says caller

Shelagh and caller Sam

Anti-Semitic chants and actions 'delegitimize' pro-Palestinian cause asserts this Shelagh Fogarty caller

Shelagh and Ricardo Dos Santos

'It's sickening': Ricardo Dos Santos speaks to Shelagh Fogarty as two officers sacked over stop and search

Shelagh

Rishi Sunak has 'failed monumentally' to 'humanise' both sides of the Israel-Hamas conflict says Israel expert

Shelagh and Callum

Twitter is a 'particularly dangerous' place to get information now says the Centre for Countering Digital Hate

Shelagh and caller Simon

LBC caller details 'disgusting anti-Semitic' act he witnessed, as hate crimes rise in fall out of Israel-Hamas war

Sister of missing Israeli woman

'We hope she's hiding somewhere': Sister of missing Israeli festival goer fears she is being held hostage by Hamas

Distraught caller on Israel-Gaza conflict.

'This is a war against Hamas!': Distraught caller wants Israel and Palestine to take down the 'enemy' together

Shelagh and Alicia Kearns

Head of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee expresses concern over Israeli 'siege of Gaza'

Shelagh Fogarty caller on facial recognition.

This caller lacks 'trust' in the government's handling of the AI facial recognition debate

Shelagh condemns PM's comments on 'dignity' of the elderly.

'He painted a picture of a Britain that the Conservatives meant to build...': Shelagh Fogarty condemns PM's suggestion that elderly have 'dignity'

Shelagh Fogarty on Jenrick

'We're full aren't we?': Shelagh questions Robert Jenrick's motive behind encouraging Brits to increase birth rate