Champagne supports GB World Cup bid

FIFA presidential hopeful Jerome Champagne would be in favour of Britain uniting to stage a joint World Cup bid for 2030.

FIFA Jerome Champagne World Cup 2030

Jerome Champagne would back a 2030 FIFA World Cup bid from Britain (AAP)

The Frenchman will challenge incumbent Sepp Blatter, who is standing for his fifth term, for the top job at the world governing body in May this year.

While FIFA, under Blatter, has been at odds with the Football Association for some time, Champagne - a former diplomat who joined the governing body in 1999, serving as an executive for 11 years - would support a truce between the two parties.

"I know what British people have done for the game," he told www.thesetpieces.com. "Look at the number of clubs around the world, for example, called Lokomotiv or Ferrocarril because they have been funded by British railroad engineers.

"We must reconcile. I hope we can do that through the World Cup. I hope we will have a strong bid for the 2030 World Cup by the UK.

"I would like to see a joint bid from all the UK nations. Why? It will be an opportunity to pay a form of tribute to all that we owe to British football."

Champagne also expressed his desire to see the biggest leagues in the world help the developing ones.

"I follow the Premier League, but at the same time I would like them to give something back," he added.

"They make 40 million US dollars from Indian TV rights, so why not hand back a little chunk to the Indian league? That's about solidarity, that's about justice, that's about fairness."


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2 min read
Published 6 January 2015 6:01am
Updated 6 January 2015 1:10pm
Source: PA Sport

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