THE government is being questioned over its election manifesto pledge to invest an additional £550 million into grassroots football in England as part of a UK and Ireland bid for the 2030 World Cup.

The pledge did not feature in the spending review set out by Chancellor Rishi Sunak last month, raising fears that a key plank of the bid, which has yet to be officially launched, would be a casualty of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, government sources say the intention to make the investment still stands. The £550m was a commitment over a 10-year period, which the government said would represent a four-fold increase in investment.