Online ReporterENGLAND should have won hosting rights for the soccer World Cup before the next free date in 2038 and before Saudi Arabia, which will hold the 2034 edition, former FIFA President Sepp Blatter said on Tuesday.
“England has done a great job for the game of football, and they should be rewarded,” Blatter told Reuters. “They have tried since 1966 to get the World Cup back, and it’s a shame they didn’t get it.
“They should have had it before Saudi Arabia, but it was organised in a very clever way so nobody was in opposition,” he said in an interview.
FIFA awarded the 2034 tournament to Saudi Arabia in an uncontested process in December, which also saw Spain, Portugal, and Morocco chosen as the main hosts for the 2030 tournament combined with one-off matches in South America.
However, the decisions have come under fire, with the 2030 plan criticised by climate activists because of the increased emissions necessitated by the extra travel across three continents.
The 2034 bid by Saudi Arabia has been questioned by some in the game and also been criticised by activists over the country’s human rights record, much in the same way as the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Saudi Arabia denies suppressing rights.
This left 2038 as the next available date for England to host its second World Cup after winning the tournament at home in 1966. — Reuters/Sports Reporter.
