The bid has the backing of the National Federations of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland.

The British Government backed a potential bid for the 2030 World Cup last year, but doubts over its viability soon emerged, with reports last month suggesting officials were leaning towards the men's European Championship in six years' time instead.

This has now been confirmed in a joint statement from the five national governing bodies.

They cited a feasibility study which analysed the economic impact, "political football landscape" and the costs of staging a major international tournament.

"Hosting a UEFA EURO offers a similar return on investment, with the European tournament carrying a far lower delivery cost and the potential of the benefits being realised sooner," the organisations claimed.

"It would be an honour and a privilege to collectively host UEFA EURO 2028 and to welcome all of Europe.

"It would also be a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate the true impact of hosting a world-class football tournament by driving positive change and leaving a lasting legacy across our communities."

It was added that the UK and Ireland could offer "something special", and the football authorities will continue to work with respective Governments on the proposal.

Britain's Government made approximately £2.8 million ($3.8 million/€3.3 million) available for a feasibility study on whether to bid for the World Cup in 2030, but the chair of its Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee Julian Knight described the proposal as "utter nonsense", insisting "we're never going to win it".

Doubts emerged given that England has failed in five bids to stage the World Cup since it last hosted in 1966, and the expected level of competition in the race for 2030, which marks 100 years since Uruguay held the first edition of the tournament.

Uruguay is one of the interested countries alongside Argentina, Chile and Paraguay as part of a joint South American bid.

Morocco, which has previously bid unsuccessfully on five occasions, is expected to enter the running again, possibly with Algeria and Tunisia.

European bids from Spain and Portugal, as well as Romania, Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia, are also anticipated, while reports last year suggested Italy and Saudi Arabia were contemplating a joint effort.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino described World Cups in one country as "probably a thing of the past", with the tournament expanding to 48 teams from the 2026 edition in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

UEFA has set a deadline of March 23 this year for members interested in staging Euro 2028 to make their intentions clear.

Turkey is set to bid for the sixth consecutive European Championship having failed in the previous five, while Romania, Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia intend to seek either Euro 2028 or the 2030 World Cup.

Other countries including reigning European champions Italy have also mooted a bid for 2028.

Germany is set to hold the next edition in 2024.

Wembley Stadium in London held eight matches at Euro 2020 under UEFA's controversial multi-city format, including the semi-finals and the final.

Glasgow's Hampden Park staged four matches, while Aviva Stadium in Ireland's capital Dublin was dropped as a venue because of a failure to provide assurances that COVID-19 restrictions would not prevent spectators from attending.

Italy's penalty shootout victory over England in the final of the delayed competition was marred by fan disorder, for which the English Football Association was ordered to play their next home match in a UEFA competition behind closed doors, with another one-game ban suspended for two years, and fined €100,000 (£84,500/$114,000).

England has been granted hosting rights for several other major UEFA events in recent years, including the women's European Championship in July.

It is also set to host the UEFA Champions League final for the third time in 14 years in 2024 - the Estádio da Luz in Portugal will have been the only other stadium to have held it more than once in that period, the second of which was behind closed doors in 2020 after being moved from Istanbul because of the pandemic.

Last week, it was revealed that the UK Government is also considering a British bid outside of London for an Olympic and Paralympic Games in the 2040s.

Birmingham is set to stage the Commonwealth Games later this year.