Andy Burnham Backs UK Ambition to Host 2042 Men's World Cup

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he wants the United Kingdom to host the men's World Cup in 2042, which would bring the tournament back to the country for the first time since England staged it in 1966. The Guardian reported that Burnham raised the ambition during a meeting with regional mayors at No 10 North in Manchester on Friday.

The proposal remains at an early and informal stage. A Downing Street source described it as a broad aspiration and said the government supports the Football Association's priorities for tournaments it is already hosting and any future competitions it may seek. No formal application to FIFA has been announced.

According to The Guardian, a potential application could include other home nations. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are already due to stage the men's European Championship in 2028 alongside the Republic of Ireland, providing a recent model for a tournament spread across several countries.

England's 1966 World Cup remains the only edition hosted in the UK. England won that tournament by beating West Germany 4-2 after extra time in the final. The country later bid unsuccessfully for the 2018 competition, which FIFA awarded to Russia.

The 2042 edition is the next point at which a European bid would be eligible under FIFA's continental hosting restrictions, The Guardian reported. Spain, Portugal and Morocco will host the 2030 tournament, with opening matches in South America, while Saudi Arabia has been confirmed as the 2034 host. The location of the 2038 World Cup has not been decided.

Burnham has previously questioned why the UK has hosted the men's World Cup only once. Any effort to turn his stated ambition into a bid would require further planning and support from football authorities and potentially the other home nations. For now, the government's position is one of general interest rather than a confirmed campaign for hosting rights.