Patrick Burke: Battle for 2030 FIFA World Cup host heats up with one year to go

Patrick Burke: Battle for 2030 FIFA World Cup host heats up with one year to go

We might just have a competitive battle to host the men's 2030 FIFA World Cup. Perhaps for the wrong reasons, it is difficult not to get excited about what could follow in the 12 months after the 211 Member Associations gather in Rwanda for the FIFA Congress this week. It is likely to provide an increasingly rare and fascinating window into the world of sports politics on a grandiose scale.













Goals galore on day nine of FIFA World Cup as Portugal and Brazil progress

Goals galore on day nine of FIFA World Cup as Portugal and Brazil progress

Picture Gallery

An inquest takes place among Ghana's players after they conceded two quickfire goals to South Korea ©Getty Images
An inquest takes place among Ghana's players after they conceded two quickfire goals to South Korea ©Getty Images
Casemiro netted Brazil's winner as they beat Switzerland 1-0 ©Getty Images
Casemiro netted Brazil's winner as they beat Switzerland 1-0 ©Getty Images
A brace from Bruno Fernandes helped Portugal defeat Uruguay 2-0 ©Getty Images
A brace from Bruno Fernandes helped Portugal defeat Uruguay 2-0 ©Getty Images
Djibril Sow controls the ball during Switzerland's defeat to Brazil ©Getty Images
Djibril Sow controls the ball during Switzerland's defeat to Brazil ©Getty Images
Portugal, playing in red, secured a last-16 berth after a second successive win at the tournament ©Getty Images
Portugal, playing in red, secured a last-16 berth after a second successive win at the tournament ©Getty Images
Changhoon Kwon controls the ball during South Korea's loss to Ghana ©Getty Images
Changhoon Kwon controls the ball during South Korea's loss to Ghana ©Getty Images
Jean-Charles Castelletto was among Cameroon's scorers against Serbia ©Getty Images
Jean-Charles Castelletto was among Cameroon's scorers against Serbia ©Getty Images
Brazil, playing in yellow, also sealed a last-16 place with a game to spare today ©Getty Images
Brazil, playing in yellow, also sealed a last-16 place with a game to spare today ©Getty Images
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates believing he has given Portugal the lead, although Bruno Fernandes cross was ruled to have gone directly into the net ©Getty Images
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates believing he has given Portugal the lead, although Bruno Fernandes cross was ruled to have gone directly into the net ©Getty Images