France weigh up joint bid with Germany for 2038 World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has barely ended, and behind the scenes rumors are already starting about the next World Cups.

In addition to the possible expansion from 48 to 64 teams, discussions are emerging about the host nations from 2038 onward.

According to the newspaper Le Parisien, France is considering a joint bid with Germany for 2038 or 2042.

It is worth remembering that the next two World Cups will be held in Portugal, Spain, and Morocco (with opening matches in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay) in 2030, and in Saudi Arabia in 2034.

According to the publication, a report commissioned by the French Ministry of Sports concluded that the French would be ready to host the event, with the aim of adapting stadiums to today’s new social and environmental requirements.

On the other hand, the possible bid from the European neighbors could face a barrier from FIFA. The organization has been rotating the tournament among continents, and Spain and Portugal will be two of the European hosts in 2030.

If it decides to keep that rotation rule, a European bid would not be possible in 2038, meaning it would have to wait until at least 2042.

This continental rotation, despite not having clear rules, has also been pointed to as an advantage for the United States to host the World Cup again in 2038. The Americans would face little competition if Europe, South America, and Africa (hosts in 2030) and Asia (host in 2034) were ruled out for 2038.

The last times France and Germany hosted the World Cup were in 2006 for the Germans and 1998 for the French.

What do you think of a joint bid between France and Germany? Do you approve?

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.