UK AND IRELAND OPEN WORLD CUP BID TALKS

A JOINT British and Irish bid to host the 2030 World Cup will move closer after a meeting in Italy today, when a list of potential venues will be drawn up. Officials from the five nations’ associations — in the Italian capital for this week’s UEfA Congress — were due to hold a breakfast summit dubbed ‘The Treaty of Rome’ to discuss plans to stage the tournament. London would likely host games at a maximum of three venues. fIfA’s demanding technical specifications will also be part of the discussion, as the likes of Old Trafford and Anfield do not currently meet the requirements due to insufficient run-off space and room for photographers. Tottenham’s new home is in the same boat, although making the relevant modifications is not expected to be an issue. Each venue needs a minimum capacity of 40,000, and given Cardiff, Glasgow and Dublin all have stadiums that fit the bill, there is a desire to build a new venue in Belfast which does not. No final decision on whether to launch a bid is expected before spring 2020 ‘at the earliest’, sources in Rome disclosed. Any bid would only be likely with no competing bids from Europe. The scars of England’s fruitless attempt to land the 2018 World Cup appear to have healed. The fA have been encouraged by greater transparency around the 2026 vote, which was won by the USA, Mexico and Canada.