A World Cup goal

For the country that invented association football, or at least codified its rules, to have hosted one Fifa World Cup since its inception in 1930 is scandalous. France, Germany, Italy, Brazil and Mexico have each held the tournament twice. England’s solitary moment in the sun came in 1966.

As part of a package for sport in his Budget, Rishi Sunak is expected to pledge £2.8 million towards the cost of bidding for the 2030 championship to be shared between the UK and the Republic of Ireland. This is a small but brilliantly conceived commitment both to the Union and to continued close ties with Ireland. After the disappointment of the England bid for the 2018 tournament, which went to Russia amid allegations of nefarious activity, the five football associations involved need to be ready for a tough fight.

Boris Johnson has said that this is the right time for a joint bid and, although the process does not take place for another two years, having the Government onside at an early stage is encouraging. The UK also benefits from the high level of elite sport that means all the stadiums are in place and do not need to be built as in Qatar. There is a rumoured bid being prepared in South America involving the first hosts Uruguay together with Chile, Paraguay and Argentina. But as the 2026 World Cup is in Canada, Mexico and the US, it should be Europe’s turn, with Italy, Spain and the Netherlands all showing an interest.

It took France 60 years to land their second tournament in 1998 and there was a 64-year gap between Brazil’s two World Cups. By 2030 it will be 64 years since it was last held in the UK. That’s long enough.