Prime minister Boris Johnson has offered to host every European Championship game in Britain this summer - and said he wants to make a joint UK bid for the 2030 World Cup.
Wembley is already scheduled to host one semi-final and the final of this year's delayed Euro 2020. But now Johnson has said that the UK is willing to host as many games as UEFA want when it comes to the tournament, thanks to the speed of Britain's vaccine rollout.
"Any other matches they want hosted, we are certainly on for that," the British prime minister told The Sun in an exclusive interview.
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On top of that, Johnson strongly hinted he wanted a joint UK bid to host the 2030 World Cup - a special tournament, as it will be 100 years since the first World Cup.
"We are very, very keen to bring football home in 2030. I do think it's the right place," he said.
"It's the home of football, it's the right time. It will be an absolutely wonderful thing for the country."
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The Sun claim that chancellor Rishi Sunak's next budget will announce £2.8 million is set aside to promote the UK and Ireland's official pitch to FIFA to hold the tournament.
Before that, however, Johnson made it clear that Britain was available to be the sole host of the delayed Euro 2020 if needed. (England, Scotland and Wales have all qualified.)
It was supposed to be a Europe-wide competition, with Wembley and Hampden Park among the host stadiums. But the ongoing pandemic has already caused a one-year delay and there are concerns about whether all of the necessary international travel will be possible in the current climate.
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"We are hosting the Euros. We are hosting the semis and the final," said Johnson.
But he added: "If there's, you know, if they want any other matches that they want hosted, we're certainly on for that but at the moment that's where we are with UEFA."
"We want to see a bonanza of football in the years ahead."
Britain has been hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, but is ahead of much of Europe when it comes to rolling out the vaccine.
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So Johnson is clearly planning for a best-case scenario this summer - 90,000 vaccinated fans at Wembley and full stadiums across the UK - plus the chance of hosting a FIFA World Cup nine years from now.
All imagery: PA Images
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Euro 2020, England, World Cup