Ukraine and Poland are discussing the possibility of jointly hosting the 2040 World Cup. Ukrainian Sports Minister Matvey Bidny said that Kiev is interested in the idea, but the official initiative should come from the sports community or football federations.
“We are interested in it, but the initiative should come from the sports community or the sports federation. We will see,” Bidny said.
The idea was also discussed at the Gdansk conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, relations between the two countries have been strained recently due to disputes over historical memory. Recent polls show that negative attitudes towards Ukraine have increased among Polish society.
Vasyl Mokan, deputy chairman of the Ukrainian parliament’s youth and sports committee, said that a joint bid could become “a powerful symbol of European solidarity.”
At the same time, he emphasized that in order to hold World Cup matches in Ukraine, an end to the war, stable peace, security guarantees, and the development of appropriate infrastructure are necessary.
