Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Britain and Ireland announced Monday that they're dropping a joint bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup to instead focus on plans to put on soccer's European Football Championship two years earlier.
Organizers said the reasons for ending the 2030 proposal relate to certain disputes and some doubts about how FIFA, soccer's world governing body, will put on the global tournament in the future.
Another reason for the move, they said, is that hosting the European Championship, also known as the Euros, in 2028 would offer a similar return on investment and require fewer costs.
"The football associations of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland have agreed to focus on a bid to host UEFA EURO 2028, the third largest sports event in the world," organizers said in a statement.
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The decision came amid an extensive feasibility study to assess opportunities of hosting the tournament.
"The feasibility study included an analysis of the economic impact, the political football landscape and likely costs of hosting major international tournaments," the organizers said.
"On balance, the five associations have decided to focus solely on an official bid to host UEFA EURO 2028, and have agreed not to bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup."
During his 2019 election campaign, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative party promised a World Cup bid, including money in the budget.
The UEFA European Football Championship is expected to expand in 2028 to include 32 teams, up from the existing 24 participants. Russia and Turkey have also shown interest in hosting the event. Russia hosted the last FIFA World Cup in 2018, and the 2022 tournament will be staged in Qatar. The The 2026 edition will be jointly hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico.
Scotland and England jointly hosted 12 matches during the 2020 edition of the Euro. Germany is hosting the 2024 Euro Championship.
The host of the 2028 European Championship is expected to be announced at the end of 2023.
