Ukraine, Poland Explore Joint World Cup Bid for 2040s

Ukraine and Poland are considering a joint bid to host the men’s FIFA World Cup in the 2040s, Ukrainian Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi said Friday, Sept. 4.

An official briefed by the Polish government confirmed that Warsaw was discussing the idea, although neither country has launched a formal bidding process, according to POLITICO.

“The nearest open date for the World Cup is somewhere in the 2040s… so we need to plan for this perspective right now,” Bidnyi said.

Spain, Portugal and Morocco will jointly host the 2030 tournament, while Saudi Arabia will host the World Cup in 2034.

Bidnyi cited Ukraine and Poland’s joint hosting of the 2012 UEFA European Championship as a successful precedent.

“It would be very logical to repeat this successful case,” he said, adding that the project could help attract international investment to Ukraine.

The possibility was also discussed on the sidelines of this year’s Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdańsk, according to the Polish official cited by POLITICO. Poland’s Sports Ministry did not respond to the publication’s request for comment.

Bidnyi stressed that any formal initiative would have to come from the countries’ football federations or broader sporting communities.

“We’re interested in it, but … it starts from the initiatives of sports community or sports federation. So we will see,” he said.

World Cup ambitions depend on Ukraine’s reconstruction

Any Ukrainian bid would depend on an end to Russia’s war and the country’s ability to rebuild its stadiums, transport networks, hotels and other infrastructure.

Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction needs are estimated at almost $588 billion over the next decade, according to a joint assessment by the Ukrainian government, the World Bank, the European Commission and the United Nations.

The Donbas Arena in Russian-occupied Donetsk illustrates the scale of the challenge. The stadium hosted five Euro 2012 matches but was later damaged after Russia-backed forces seized the city in 2014.

Shakhtar Donetsk was forced to leave Donetsk and has not returned to its former home stadium.

Vasyl Mokan, deputy chair of the Ukrainian parliament’s Committee on Youth and Sports, said the committee had received no official confirmation of negotiations over a bid but described the proposal as “both compelling and full of potential.”

“A joint FIFA World Cup bid by Ukraine and Poland would be much more than a major sporting event,” Mokan said. “It would serve as a powerful symbol of European solidarity with Ukraine.”

He said an end to the war, a just and lasting peace and credible long-term security guarantees would be essential before Ukraine could host matches.

“Without these conditions, it would be premature to speak about hosting a FIFA World Cup in Ukraine,” Mokan said.

Political tensions could complicate joint bid

The proposal comes as relations between Kyiv and Warsaw face renewed strain over historical disputes, despite Poland’s extensive support for Ukraine during Russia’s full-scale invasion.

An August survey by Polish state pollster CBOS found that 46% of respondents rated Polish-Ukrainian relations negatively, the highest share recorded in the poll’s history. Only 12% rated relations positively.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has urged politicians in both countries not to allow disputes over historical memory to undermine their strategic partnership or benefit Russia.

A future World Cup bid would depend on improved bilateral relations, Ukraine’s security conditions, infrastructure reconstruction and FIFA’s formal bidding requirements.