Ukraine in joint bid to host 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal
Ukraine is set to be part of Spain and Portugal’s joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup.
Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky is understood to have given permission for Ukraine to join Spain and Portugal in a move to host the 2030 World Cup.
The new partnership, which would see Ukraine host one of the groups in the tournament, is due to be officially announced by Spain and Portugal football chiefs at Uefa’s headquarters on Wednesday.
The Times reports that although security assurances would be needed, the expectation is that, by 2030, Russia’s invasion will have been over for some time and the rebuilding of the country will be fully underway.
2026 World Cup
Alongside Poland in 2012, Ukraine co-organised the European Championship, a tournament won by Spain. In four years’ time, the 2026 World Cup will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
2030 World Cup
Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile are bidding to host the 2030 tournament to take advantage of the 100th anniversary of the first ever World Cup, which was held in Uruguay. There is also the possibility of another joint candidacy between Greece, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
“I am sure that the 2030 World Cup will be played in Spain and Portugal,” UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin recently said. “This bid is a winning one, and we will do everything possible to help two countries that are passionate, live and breathe football, and that have a good infrastructure.”