When it comes to hosting global sporting events, bigger may not always be better.
On Monday, the football associations of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland announced they would pursue a bid to host the men’s UEFA Euro 2028 — and won’t bid on the men’s 2030 FIFA World Cup.
The decision was based on the results of a feasibility study, which “included an analysis of the economic impact, the political football landscape, and likely costs of hosting major international tournaments,” the English Football Association announced.
The cost of putting on the event would be significantly lower than that of the World Cup, while offering similar returns, the study found. Numbers were not provided publicly.
A Growing Trend?
The FA’s decision is unsurprising given the gargantuan price tags of recent global sports events — and lack of revenue to compensate.
- Qatar, for example, spent a total of $300 billion on city infrastructure and an expanded airport in anticipation of the World Cup, per Bloomberg. The expected economic impact rounds out at just $20 billion.
- The Winter Olympics in Beijing may be costing China $38.5 billion, more than 10 times the amount the country previously reported, per Business Insider.
The deadline to confirm bids for the Euros is in March.
