S. Korean football chief wants to co-host FIFA World Cup with N. Korea, Japan, China in 2030

South Korea's football chief said Thursday he hopes to co-host the FIFA World Cup with three neighboring nations in 2030.

Chung Mong-gyu, president of the Korea Football Association (KFA), said the country's football governing body is mulling over a joint World Cup bid with North Korea, China and Japan.

This is the first time that Chung, who has been leading the KFA since 2013, mentioned the World Cup bid in detail. South Korea in 2002 co-hosted football's signature competition with Japan.

"I hope we can hear people's cheers in 2030 just like we experienced at the 2002 World Cup," Chung said at a football museum opening ceremony at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Seoul. "We will keep talking with related nations."

Chung's statement comes after FIFA's ruling council approved the expansion of the World Cup in January. Starting with the 2026 edition, the World Cup will expand to 48 teams from its current 32, meaning a single host nation will have more of a burden accommodating participants compared to the past.

Chung's plan, however, could be against FIFA's continental rotation policy on World Cup hosting, which prevents its showpiece event from being staged in the same region more than once every 12 years. With Russia ready to stage the 2018 World Cup, Qatar is the host of the 2022 event.

The 2030 edition is a centenary World Cup. Uruguay, the host of the first World Cup in 1930, and its South American neighbor Argentina already said they want to co-host the event in 2030.

The English football association also showed its interest in hosting the 2030 World Cup in Britain. (Yonhap)