Burnham attends first Everton match since becoming UK prime minister

By Helen Corbett, Press Association Political Correspondent

Andy Burnham has turned out to support his beloved Everton for the first time since becoming UK prime minister on Saturday for their match against Crystal Palace.

Burnham and his wife Marie-France van Heel were spotted in the stands at the Premier League game at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool.

They were joined by former footballer Peter Reid, who was also in the crowd outside Downing Street when Burnham took office last month.

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The ex-Greater Manchester mayor is a long-time Everton fan.

He reportedly spoke about his desire for the UK to host the men’s World Cup again in a meeting with regional mayors on Friday.

A source said he has a “general ambition” to host more tournaments and that he would support the FA with any future World Cup bids.

Hosts have already been allocated up to the 2034 tournament.

It comes after he last month called it “insane” that the UK has only hosted one World Cup, in 1966.

As culture, media and sport secretary in the run-up, Burnham was involved in the doomed 2010 bid for England to host the World Cup, which was awarded to Russia.

Though the UK has failed to secure a men’s World Cup for 60 years, it has hosted games at the men’s European Championships twice and fixtures at the 2028 tournament will be played in the UK and Ireland.

Meanwhile, the UK will host the women’s World Cup in 2035. It hosted the 2005 and 2022 women’s European Championships. The latter saw England’s women win the tournament for the first time on home soil.

A UK government spokesperson said: “The UK is committed to delivering world-class major sporting events with pride, with the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes Grands Departs 2027 and Uefa Euro 2028 secured, and active bids for the 2029 World Athletics Championships and 2035 women’s World Cup.

“As the Prime Minister has made clear, we will continue to pursue sporting events that bring communities together, drive regional growth and create jobs across the country.”