Frontrunner emerges to host Over-35 World Cup as Ronaldinho & Henry head to UK

Newcastle’s St James Park has emerged as the favourite to host this summer’s inaugural over-35 World Cup.

The tournament - that will see a host of footballing legends go head-to-head - is set to be hosted in the UK. It will take place in June after the Champions League final and is expected to be completed by the time the Euros gets underway. The tournament itself is still in the planning stages, with a venue still to be decided but there is a front-runner to stage the matches. According to Mail Online, St James’ Park is the current favourite to host.

It has been organised by Elite Players Group (EPG) - a group of former footballers and sports businessmen - and will be known as the EPG Cup. Speaking to Mail Online, EPG President, Matias Sarasola said: “We think this will be a milestone in football history.

“Never before has one event joined 144 of these kind of former players at the same tournament. It is like the trophy of trophies. England created this sport and we wanted to launch the new category here, too.

"We would like to have full stadiums, so we will try and do the minimum ticket price possible. We would like to give the opportunity for all the city to go there. We want to make it as inclusive as possible.

“We will start with this event, but we would like to grow. Tennis and golf have senior or masters categories and that is what we are creating. We want to extend a footballer’s professional life. It is to give them the opportunity to continue competing.

“The most important thing is all of them want to play for glory. When I have been with former players, they say they want to play again but not just in an exhibition match. They want to play to win.”

As it stands, the tournament will consist of eight teams of former World Cup winners. That includes multiple champions Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy and Uruguay, as well as England and Spain.

Squad lists for the tournament have yet be be fully announced but a number of star names have already been backed to play. Arsenal icon Thierry Henry will be part of the French side alongside Christian Karembeu and Marcel Desailly.

Kaka, Ronaldinho, Cafu and Rivaldo will all apparently represent Brazil. The England team will consist of a number of recognisable names including Michael Owen, Ashley Cole, Joe Cole, Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard. Players are only eligible to play if they are 35 or over and must have been capped by their country - or had made over 100 top-flight appearances.