Evan Bartlett

Exclusive: Prime Minister Andy Burnham is exploring a bid to host the men’s World Cup in the UK, alongside plans for a Northern Olympics, The i Paper can reveal. The move would bring the World Cup back to the UK for the first time since England hosted in 1966 and forms part of a growing push by Burnham to use major sporting events to drive investment, tourism and regeneration beyond London. Burnham told colleagues at a Friday morning meeting at No 10 North in Manchester that he is looking at how Britain could host the tournament and is already in talks with the nation’s footballing bodies about how a campaign could be delivered. A source familiar with the discussions said the bid was raised as part of talks on “stadium regeneration”. The next available World Cup is in 2038, followed by tournaments in 2042 and 2046. FIFA has yet to begin the formal process for awarding the 2038 tournament, and the Government has not said whether its ambitions are focused on the earliest available opportunity or a bid further into the future. The World Cup plan is being considered alongside the previously reported ambition to bring the Olympics to the north, with Burnham understood to be pursuing both projects as part of a wider push to attract major sporting events, investment and tourism to the regions. Story👇 W/@connie_dimsdale and @Kat_Lucas_ inews.co.uk/news/politics/bu…