Prime Minister Andy Burnham is considering bringing the men's World Cup back to British soil, it has emerged, in what would be the first time the country has staged the tournament since 1966.
During a Friday morning gathering at No10 North in Manchester, Burnham informed colleagues that he is actively looking at how the UK could mount a bid to host, with conversations already under way with the country's football associations.
The idea sits within a broader strategy to transform the north of England into a hub for global sporting events.
That agenda encompasses a proposed Northern Olympics as well as efforts to secure the 2035 Ryder Cup for Bolton, according to The i.
A source with knowledge of the discussions said the topic arose during conversations focused on "stadium regeneration".
The earliest tournament available for a British bid is the 2038 World Cup, with further editions following in 2042 and 2046.
FIFA has not yet launched a formal bidding process for 2038, and Downing Street has declined to specify which cycle it is targeting.
Burnham's determination on this front is understood to be shaped by his own experience.
Serving as culture media secretary under Gordon Brown, he played a role in England's unsuccessful campaign for the 2018 tournament, which went to Russia after England secured a mere two votes from FIFA's 22-member executive committee.
That has fuelled his outspoken stance towards football's global governing body.
He recently branded FIFA president Gianni Infantino the "wrong man" for the job and criticised a since-abandoned proposal to sell a commercial stake in FIFA's competition portfolio.
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A coalition of northern mayors has been pushing for a multi-city Olympic and Paralympic bid, arguing that the Games should serve as a catalyst to distribute major events and capital investment more equitably across the country.
Advocates for the proposal say that much of the required infrastructure already exists across the region.
The Prime Minister was also the driving force behind the push to secure the 2035 Ryder Cup for Bolton, according to a source close to him, and has expressed strong enthusiasm for Euro 2028, which will be co-hosted by the UK and Ireland.
England and Scotland both made it to this year's World Cup, with Wales narrowly missing out on qualification in the competition's play-off phases.
Scotland were knocked out in the group stages of the tournament after only scoring one goal.
The Three Lions were eliminated in the semi-finals to Argentina 2-1, but ended up coming in third place after beating France, to achieve their best finish since winning the competition in 1966.
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