Ukraine says it is considering a World Cup bid with Poland, but war would not be the only obstacle

Ukraine and Poland are looking toward the 2040s, when they hope to stage football’s biggest tournament together. Ukrainian Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi told Politico that Kyiv wants to join Warsaw in bidding for the first men’s World Cup whose host has not yet been chosen.

“ The nearest available slot for a World Cup is sometime during the 2040s, so we have to start planning from that perspective now,” Bidnyi said. A Polish official familiar with the government’s position said Poland was considering the idea. Spain, Portugal and Morocco will host the 2030 tournament, while Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 edition.

Ukraine and Poland have already organized a major men’s football tournament together, hosting Euro 2012. Bidnyi said repeating that example would be logical and could “attract investors.” But a future bid would unfold in a dramatically different setting from 2012.

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The nearest available slot for a World Cup is sometime during the 2040s, so we have to start planning from that perspective now.

The Russian attack has left Ukraine facing reconstruction and recovery needs estimated at almost 500 billion euros over the next decade, according to estimates by the Ukrainian government, the World Bank Group, the European Commission and the United Nations. Politico said the war shows no sign of easing, while Russian forces continue efforts to occupy Ukraine and bombard major cities on an almost nightly basis.

Donetsk’s futuristic stadium hosted five Euro 2012 matches, but Russia-backed separatists took control of parts of the region in 2014. Shakhtar Donetsk was forced to leave the city, and later shelling damaged the arena. The article also noted that World Cups have been held amid political tensions, including Russia’s 2018 tournament after the annexation of Crimea and the start of the war in eastern Ukraine.

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attract investors