Despite the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the country wants to bid to host the 2030 World Cup. The country has agreed on cooperation with Spain and Portugal. Competition comes from Saudi Arabia, among others.
In the middle of the Russian war of aggression against their own country, news comes from Ukraine about football: the country has agreed with Spain and Portugal on a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup. The reports "The Times" and the "Guardian". The decision will be announced by the football bosses of Spain and Portugal on Wednesday at a press conference at the headquarters of the European Football Union UEFA in Nyon, Switzerland.
According to reports, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the governments of the Iberian Peninsula have agreed to a joint bid. It has been known for two years that Spain and Portugal want to apply together. What is new is that a group is to play their games in the Ukraine. It is hoped that the participation of the war-torn country will broaden support for the application.
According to this, it is assumed that the war of aggression will be over in a good seven years and the reconstruction process has progressed so far that a tournament will be possible. Ten years ago, Ukraine co-hosted a major tournament with Poland - at that time the European Championships took place in the two countries.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin recently certified Spain and Portugal "a successful application". This is now being expanded to include Ukraine, but the three countries have competition as organizers. Exactly 100 years after the first World Cup, the hosts at the time applied again. Uruguay plans to host the World Cup together with Argentina, Chile and Paraguay.
Recently there have also been reports that Saudi Arabia is also entering the competition. The country wants to organize a World Cup together with Egypt and Greece. Saudi Arabia, which invests huge sums in boxing, golf, the English Premier League club Newcastle United and Formula 1, among other things, is often accused of "sportswashing", i.e. covering up grievances and improving its reputation by hosting sports -Events. According to an Egyptian official from the Ministry of Sports, this tournament would then again - like this year in Qatar - be a Winter World Cup to avoid the extreme heat.
The national Ukrainian league started despite the war, the games are taking place under great security precautions and with no spectators. With Shakhtar Donetsk, a top team is also represented in the Champions League. The national team plays their home games in neighboring Poland. The team could not qualify for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.
There is still a long way to go before a decision is made about who will host the 2030 World Cup. The 2026 World Cup will take place in the USA, Canada and Mexico - and thus for the first time in three countries. Who gets the contract for 2030 is to be decided at the 74th FIFA Congress in 2024.
