James McDermott: The grounds for our world sporting bids would not inspire confidence
The only way our joint bid with the British nations for the 2030 World Cup finals will succeed is if Fifa officials are kept well away from inspecting our run-down stadiums
The first World Cup in 1930 involved very little actual organisation. The qualification stage was abandoned when only 13 countries bothered to enter what was intended to be a 16-team competition.
Only four European countries were prepared to undertake the three-week journey to Uruguay, which allocated most of the games to a stadium that it only got around to finish building after the tournament had already started.
The matches themselves were equally ramshackle affairs. Take, ...
