Headline: UK Prime Minister Explores Hosting Men’s World Cup and Northern Olympics Plans
According to reports, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is contemplating a bid for the country to host the men’s World Cup while also pursuing proposals for a “Northern Olympics.”
As a passionate football enthusiast, Burnham’s initiative aims to utilize major sporting events as catalysts for driving investment, tourism, and regeneration outside of London, as noted by The i.
The World Cup would return to the UK for the first time since England last hosted it in 1966, when the national team won the tournament. Reports indicate that Burnham shared details during discussions with colleagues at No 10 North on Friday, outlining talks with national football organizations on how to orchestrate the campaign for the tournament.
The Independent has reached out to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for further comments on this initiative.
The next available World Cup will take place in 2038, with subsequent tournaments scheduled for 2042 and 2046, but FIFA has yet to begin the process of selecting the host nation.
In addition to the World Cup, Burnham is reportedly aiming to bring the Olympics to the North to generate more revenue for other regions in the UK. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy expressed her support for hosting the Olympics in the North. She noted that a coalition of northern mayors has advocated for a bid for the 2040s as part of an initiative to regenerate stadiums.
Nandy stated, “London 2012 showed what the Olympics can do for our country. It inspired a generation through sport, attracted huge investment and showcased the best of Britain to the world. But while the North of England has driven so much sporting excellence, we have been told the Olympics is simply too big and important to be hosted in the North. Not any more.”
The UK will also host the women’s World Cup in 2035, following its previous hosting of the women’s European Championships in 2005 and 2022, which saw England’s women triumph on home soil for the first time.
Additionally, the UK is set to co-host the men’s Euros in 2028 with Ireland. However, Burnham has previously expressed frustration that the World Cup has been held in the UK only once in 1966. He remarked, “It makes you wonder whether the authorities at the European and global level have something against us,” during a conversation with podcast host Ellis Platten.
Burnham’s interest in the World Cup bid may stem from the fact that he was the culture, media and sports secretary during England’s unsuccessful bid in 2010, which ultimately went to Russia.
Controversy surrounding the bidding processes for that World Cup and the one awarded to Qatar for 2022 led to the downfall of FIFA President Sepp Blatter and other top officials. Since taking office, Burnham has called for the resignation of FIFA’s current leader Gianni Infantino, citing his handling of recent issues as problematic. Burnham stated, “I do not believe that he is the right man to lead football forward on the world stage.”
Andy Burnham is exploring a bid for the UK to host the men’s World Cup alongside plans for a Northern Olympics, according to reports.
A known football lover, the prime minister‘s bid would form part of his push to use major sporting events to drive investment, tourism and regeneration beyond the capital, The i has reported.
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It would bring the World Cup back to the UK for the first time since England hosted in 1966, when the Three Lions last won the tournament.
The newspaper reported that Mr Burnham told colleagues on Friday morning at No 10 North that he was in talks with the nation’s footballing bodies about how a campaign could be delivered to host the tournament.
The Independent has contacted the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for comment.
The next available World Cup is in 2038, followed by tournaments in 2042 and 2046, but Fifa has not begun the process of deciding the host yet.
Mr Burnham is also reportedly hoping to bring the Olympics up north in an effort to bring more revenue to other regions of the country.
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Culture secretary Lisa Nandy supported the prospect of bringing the Olympics up north in May this year as a coalition of northern mayors have campaigned for the bid in the 2040s as part of a stadium regeneration push.
She said: “London 2012 showed what the Olympics can do for our country. It inspired a generation through sport, attracted huge investment and showed the best of Britain to the world.
“But while the North of England has driven so much sporting excellence, no matter the talent we produce, the sporting moments we create, and the world-class events we attract – for too long we have been told the Olympics is simply too big and too important to be hosted in the North.
“Not any more. It’s time the Olympics came North and we showed what we can offer to the world. I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that we’re starting the firing gun on a long overdue vote of confidence in the North.”
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The UK will host the women’s World Cup in 2035, after it hosted the 2005 and 2022 women’s European Championships. The latter saw England’s women win the tournament for the first time on home soil.
The UK is set to host the men’s Euros in 2028 alongside Ireland in a joint bid, but the prime minister – a keen Everton supporter – voiced his frustrations earlier this month that the World Cup had only been hosted in the UK once, in 1966.
“It makes you wonder whether the authorities at the European and global level have something against us,” he told Ellis Platten, host of the Away Days podcast.
“The country that invented the game, you’d think we would have had a bit more of that attention.”
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The World Cup bid may be important to Mr Burnham as well because he was culture, media and sports secretary when England submitted a bid in 2010, which was awarded to Russia.
However, the controversy around the process for that World Cup, and that which was awarded to Qatar for 2022, eventually unseated then-Fifa president Sepp Blatter and other senior officials.
Since entering Downing Street himself, Mr Burnham has called for Fifa’s current leader, Gianni Infantino to resign, saying he is the “wrong man” to lead Fifa over his bungled attempt to sell off stakes in the World Cup to private investors.
He told journalists: “I do not believe that he is the right man to lead football forward on the world stage.
“The plan that was put forward was offensive to many people, football people, around the world, and it can’t be the case that we just move on and forget that, it wasn’t acceptable.”
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