Ukraine to bid to host 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal
Ukraine is set to join Spain and Portugal's joint bid to host the World Cup in 2030.
The move has reportedly been sanctioned by the war-torn country's president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Confirmation of the joint bid is expected to be confirmed on Wednesday, according to The Guardian.
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Under the plans, Ukraine – which has been under a full-scale invasion by neighbours Russia since February – would host one of the tournament's groups if the bid is successful.
But Ukraine, Spain and Portugal face competition to host the tournament.
South American nations Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile have submitted a joint bid to host the World Cup, as have Egypt, Greece and Saudi Arabia.
Morocco has also expressed an interest in staging the tournament after missing out on the 2026 World Cup, which will instead take place in Canada, the United States and Mexico.
The four countries of the UK had held hopes of hosting the 2030 World Cup with the Republic of Ireland but withdrew from the bidding process earlier this year to focus instead on a joint bid to host Euro 2028 instead.
It remains to be seen whether Ukraine would be able to host games in the 2030 World Cup, given the unstable situation in the country.
More than 5,996 civilians have died in Ukraine since Russia invaded its neighbour earlier this year, according to the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Ukraine's national teams are currently playing their home games in neighbouring Poland, while the Ukrainian domestic league is taking place behind closed doors.
However, there is "confidence that any security concerns will be far less pronounced in eight years' time", according to The Guardian.
Ukraine previously co-hosted Euro 2012 with Poland, which was won by Spain.
The 2022 World Cup, which will be hosted by Qatar, begins on November 20.
Topics: Spain, Portugal, Football, FIFA World Cup
Rory O'Callaghan