England boss Gareth Southgate slams World Cup 2030 plans in six countries and blasts integrity of the competition
GARETH SOUTHGATE says the integrity of the 2030 World Cup will be trashed by Fifa’s plan to stage it in SIX countries across THREE continents.
In a bonkers first, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay are to host a single opening match before the remainder of the centenary tournament is completed in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
And the England boss said: “My big thing is I don’t get the integrity of the competition. I’m not a fan of it.
“Three matches played in South America, then teams have to travel across the globe, change time zones and pick up the competition with home advantage in one part of the group but not another.
“Logically, you could play Argentina there and have to travel back.
“There’s a big difference between playing Argentina in Buenos Aires and playing them in Casablanca.”
Euro 2020 was staged across 11 cities in 11 countries, culminating in Italy’s Wembley final win over England in 2021.
But Southgate added: “We had a little bit with the last Euros but the World Cup plan seems disjointed — a different landscape for different teams in different groups.”
And England star Jordan Henderson, 33, has hailed Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 World Cup.
Hendo, who quit Liverpool for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq in the summer, posted: “Very excited about the announcement. Go Saudi Arabia 2034.”
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Fifa’s decision to hand the South American nations a game each is a tribute to the first World Cup in 1930.
Uruguay hosted the maiden edition of the tournament a century ago, going on to win the first of their two World Cups.