TheLocalYokel
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Reported today that PM Boris Johnson will pledge nearly £3 million to support a joint bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup by the four home nations and the Republic of Ireland. That's public money, not from BJ's own pocket.
In the past the host nation's team has qualified for the Finals automatically. In 2002 when the World Cup was hosted jointly by South Korea and Japan both countries' teams were given a free ride into the Finals.
I'm not sure what's happening in that regard in 2026 when Canada, the USA and Mexico will jointly host the competition. If the UK/Ireland bid was to succeed it could mean five teams given an automatic right to the Finals.
The USA and Mexico have hosted the competition in the past (Mexico twice in the past 50 years) but given the scale and cost of putting it on the FIFA World Cup Finals are now probably beyond the reach of many smaller countries, thus joint bids are the only way for some to become involved.
Johnson might also believe it won't do his attempts to prevent the break-up of the UK any harm. He might have to be careful because it could reopen the door to claims by many countries that the UK should field one team in the World Cup and not four.
That said, governments don't bid for World Cup Finals. The football associations of countries apply to FIFA but governmental support is vital, even essential, and not always in a manner that many would deem to be above board.
In the past the host nation's team has qualified for the Finals automatically. In 2002 when the World Cup was hosted jointly by South Korea and Japan both countries' teams were given a free ride into the Finals.
I'm not sure what's happening in that regard in 2026 when Canada, the USA and Mexico will jointly host the competition. If the UK/Ireland bid was to succeed it could mean five teams given an automatic right to the Finals.
The USA and Mexico have hosted the competition in the past (Mexico twice in the past 50 years) but given the scale and cost of putting it on the FIFA World Cup Finals are now probably beyond the reach of many smaller countries, thus joint bids are the only way for some to become involved.
Johnson might also believe it won't do his attempts to prevent the break-up of the UK any harm. He might have to be careful because it could reopen the door to claims by many countries that the UK should field one team in the World Cup and not four.
That said, governments don't bid for World Cup Finals. The football associations of countries apply to FIFA but governmental support is vital, even essential, and not always in a manner that many would deem to be above board.