Will Poland and Ukraine organize the World Cup together? A clear declaration by the minister!
Football World Cup in Poland and Ukraine? An idea that seems abstract, if only because of the situation beyond our eastern border, has just come to light.
The sensational news was revealed by the Politico website. Where did this idea come from? This is the result of conclusions that can be drawn based on the words of a Ukrainian government politician. Moreover, we are talking about the Minister of Sports.
It turns out that Ukraine would like a repeat of 2012, when it successfully organized the European Football Championship together with Poland. It’s hard to believe, but 14 years have passed since then. And the geopolitical situation has changed significantly.
“A joint candidacy of Ukraine and Poland to host the FIFA World Cup would be much more than just a major sporting event. It would be a strong symbol of European solidarity with Ukraine (…) We will work on it… we are still a country that focuses on the greatest sporting achievements. It is part of our national culture and we want to develop it despite all these difficulties,” admitted Ukrainian Minister of Sports Matviy Bidny.
Will Poland and Ukraine organize a big event? A surprising idea from the minister!
Even if FIFA were to actually consider the Polish-Ukrainian candidacy, we are talking about plans for the deep future. Just look at the coming years and the hosts that have already been confirmed for the next FIFA World Cup. The next World Cups will be held in Spain, Morocco and Portugal in 2030 and Saudi Arabia in 2034.
The quoted Minister Bidny is aware of this, suggesting that if the football event were to be organized again in Poland and Ukraine, it would be in the 2040s. However, it is difficult to determine what will happen to Ukraine then, considering the brutal aggression from Russia, which has been ongoing since February 2022. And actually – a few years longer – taking into account the events related to the Crimea area, etc.
The basis for any talks is an end to the war, a just and permanent peace, and long-term security guarantees, which Ukraine would have to have.
Interestingly, the idea of a Polish-Ukrainian candidacy was also to appear in talks during this year’s Conference for the Reconstruction of Ukraine in Gdańsk.
However, the text did not contain any official comment from the Polish government or the Ministry of Sport.
