Football might be coming home after all...in 12 years' time.
The English football governing body has confirmed a bid to host 2030 World Cup is studied, according to the BBC.
"Last month the English FA board agreed to conduct feasibility work into the possibility of putting itself forward to beUEFA's potential candidate to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup," FA chairman Greg Clarke said.
"This work will take place during the new season and no decision will be made until 2019".
Meanwhile the project could take the shape of a United Kingdom, involving Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. FIFA is more likely to opt for a joint candidacy as the number of teams to compete will increase from 32 to 48 from the 2026 tournament.
The Home Nations' FAs met on Wednesday before a FIFA congress to talk about an English-led joint bid including Scotland, Wales and potentially Northern Ireland.
Last month Prime Minister Theresa May and the opposition Labour Party through Tom Watson endorsed the co-hosting idea, even if the FA hasn't formalised this possibility.
Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay have already announced their intention to co-host the 2030 World Cup, which would be a centenary year for the event. Morocco could try its chance again with Algeria and Tunisia after losing the 2026 rights two months ago.
After two failures in 2006 and 2018 against European bids (Germany and Russia), England expects to be nominated by the UEFA as the unique official European bid.
52 years after successfully hosting for the first and only time the event, it looks like the World Cup has hardly ever been that close to come home.
