The FIFA World Cup is the most widely-viewed sporting event in the world, with close to 3.5 billion people watching the 2018 tournament.
Not surprisingly, then, hosting the World Cup is a coveted honor, with countries bidding against each other for the right to stage the event. Given the audience figures that are possible to achieve, it perhaps hardly comes as a surprise to learn that many continue to seek other ways in which they can experience this global phenomenon.
Many will host viewing parties, while there will be many around the UK that will also be looking at placing bets on the upcoming tournament this winter. Indeed, there will be a plethora of people looking for the best cybet markets around ahead of and during the competition, as the UK is known for its affinity and love of combining football and sports betting together.
For many, this is one of the reasons why England needs to host another tournament in the future, with the country having only hosted the World Cup once before, in 1966. It is possible to see why the country could be a great option, too, as there are a number of Premier League stadiums that could step up and host the event should the country ever win another bid.
In this blog post, we'll take a look at some of those potential host stadiums.
Old Trafford - Manchester United
Old Trafford, home of Manchester United, is the largest club soccer stadium in the United Kingdom, with a capacity of 74,310. Opened in 1910, Old Trafford has undergone numerous renovations over the years and would no doubt be a spectacular venue for World Cup matches. The iconic stadium has been host to a number of iconic games in the past, with many having provided sports bettors memorable moments, too.
Etihad Stadium - Manchester City
Etihad Stadium is home to Manchester City and has a capacity of 53,400. The stadium was originally built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games and was converted into a soccer stadium after the games concluded. With its state-of-the-art facilities, Etihad Stadium would be more than capable of hosting World Cup matches.
Anfield - Liverpool FC
Anfield is one of England's most historic soccer stadiums, having been home to Liverpool FC since 1892. The current capacity of Anfield is 53,394. If those expansion plans are completed in time, Anfield would be a strong contender to host World Cup matches.
St. James' Park - Newcastle United
St. James' Park is the oldest stadium on our list, having first opened its doors in 1892. It has been home to Newcastle United since 1898 and has a current capacity of 52,305. It is one of the most iconic stadiums in the Premier League and the entirety of England.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium only opened its doors in 2019 but it has already established itself as one of the best soccer stadiums in England. The state-of-the-art facility has a capacity of 62,850 and features a retractable grass field that reveals an artificial surface underneath when needed (for NFL games). There's no doubt that Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would be an excellent venue for World Cup matches if England were ever to win another bid and one that could potentially provide a number of wonderful sports betting moments on the tournament if England was able to host the tournament in the future.
Emirates Stadium - Arsenal
Emirates Stadium is home to Arsenal and first opened its doors in 2006. The stadium has a capacity of 60,260 and features numerous restaurants and bars as well as an on-site museum dedicated to Arsenal's history. Emirates Stadium would make an excellent choice for World Cup games if England won another bid to host the event.
Villa Park - Aston Villa
Villa Park has been home to Aston Villa since 1897 and has undergone numerous renovations over the years, with the capacity standing at 42,682 presently. Given its long history and large capacity, Villa Park would be well suited for hosting FIFA World Cup matches if England were lucky enough to win another bid.
Conclusion
There are a number of Premier League stadiums that could capably host FIFA World Cup matches if England were ever fortunate enough to win another bid to stage the event.
