Boris Johnson ‘certainly’ ready for England to host more of Euro 2020 ahead of 2030 World Cup bid

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he would “certainly” welcome the prospect of England hosting more matches during this summer’s European Championships and pledged to “bring football home” with a 2030 World Cup bid. 

Euro 2020, pushed back a year because of the coronavirus pandemic, is due to take place this summer and at present Uefa is sticking by its original plan to host matches in 12 cities across the continent. 

London is due to play a major role, with seven matches including both semi-finals and the final set for Wembley, but with Britain’s vaccine rollout outpacing that in most other European countries, there have been reports that England could step in to host the entire tournament at short-notice, with fans able to attend matches. 

“We are hosting the Euros. We are hosting the semis and the final,” Johnson told The Sun.

“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.”

A final decision over the format of the tournament is expected to be taken next month. 

But looking further ahead, Johnson says he wants a “bonanza of football” to take place in the UK over the next decade, with the Women’s European Championships already set to follow next summer - and a bid to bring the World Cup to English soil for the first time since 1966 in 2030. 

“I do think it’s the right place,” he added. “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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