Ireland tipped to join potential UK World Cup bid

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) is reportedly open to talks with the FAs of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales over joining the home nations’ bid for the 2030 Fifa World Cup.

According to The Times’ Martyn Zeigler, appetite for a British Isles collaboration has increased in recent weeks, particularly after the statement from Uefa president Aleksander Čeferein last week that a joint bid for “that part of Europe” would be “wise”.

It is thought that a joint bid including Ireland could help to attract more votes, particularly from nations who believe the four UK-based FAs should not have separate status within Fifa. Dublin’s 51,700 Aviva Stadium (formerly Lansdowne Road), is used to hosting large-scale sporting events, and could also step in to provide a major stadium in Ireland, where the Northern Irish capital of Belfast lacks such facilities.

The English FA is currently carrying out its own feasibility study ahead of a potential bid, and reportedly told The Times that the organisation is “looking at all options.”

The news continues the present vogue for joint bids. Last week, SportBusinessreported that Morocco was preparing to team up with Portugal and Spain for 2030, which would be a first-ever pan-continental World Cup bid. Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay have already signalled their intention to submit a joint bid for the same tournament. Meanwhile, the 2026 World Cup became the first to be awarded to three nations earlier this year when Canada, Mexico and the United States won the hosting rights.