The Football Association is preparing a bid to host the 2030 World Cup, it was announced on Wednesday.
“Feasibility work” is being conducted into the possibility of the English FA putting itself forward for consideration, chairman Greg Clarke said.
The last time England hosted the World Cup tournament was in 1966 - the first and only time England won the competition.
Clarke said no decisions will be made until next year, but confirmed that the FA was preparing a bid.
“Last month the English FA Board agreed to conduct feasibility work into the possibility of putting itself forward to be UEFA’s potential candidate to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup,” he said.
“This work will take place during the new season and no decision will be made until 2019.”
Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay are bidding jointly for 2030 and Morocco has also confirmed they will put themselves in the running, with a potential joint bid with Tunisia and Algeria.
The FA has already bid to host the European Women’s Championship in 2021, and Wembley will be hosting seven games during the next UEFA Euro tournament in 2020.
It is not clear whether an England bid would be a joined with other home nations, but the UK government has suggested it would support the move.
England had hoped to host this year’s World Cup – in which manager Gareth Southgate took his team as far as the semi-finals – but lost out to Russia.