Malta and Cyprus are expected to make a joint bid for the 2026 World Cup, timesofmalta.com has learnt.

A consortium made up of top foreign and local businessmen made a detailed presentation to the government in the past weeks to prove that tiny Malta has the necessary resources to host the world’s biggest sports tournament if it teams up with Cyprus.

The surprise bid comes weeks after the tiny Arab state of Qatar shocked the football world by winning the right to host the 2022 World Cup.

“If Qatar can stage it, why can’t we? We have the hotels, we have the infrastructure, we’ve dealt with big events before, and unlike Qatar we don’t have prohibitive temperatures,” said one of the consortium directors, who preferred to remain unnamed.

According to preliminary plans, Cyprus will host matches in seven stadiums and Malta would have five venues, one of which would host one of the semi-finals. The major challenge is expected to be the provision of stadiums, though three local major construction companies have already been approached.

Preliminary plans seen by The Times show that Ta’ Qali stadium would get a major upgrade and rebuilt to cater for a 60,000 capacity, as would the Gozo and Hibs stadiums, which are expected to see their size grow to 40,000. At least two other stadiums have been earmarked, one on the site hosting the Natura 2000 site in Mellieha, and the other, surprisingly, in Maghtab. The plans say the trees currently occupying the Mellieha site would be relocated to different areas of the island, including the top of the new Parliament in Valletta.

Sources said Saudi investor Sheikh Itz Ajouk, who has close contacts with the Maltese construction sector, was willing to invest as much as €200 million for the Malta bid.

When contacted, a FIFA spokesman said the football organisation would have no problem in a bid from two small countries, provided the necessary infrastructure is in place.

Malta and Cyprus’s bid will have to compete against China, which has already expressed an interest to host the tournament.

Parliamentary Secretary for Sport Clyde Puli could not be contacted for comment.

See also:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110401/local/malta-s-world-cup-bid-its-ajouk

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