England's World Cup bid gets huge boost
After a disastrous period for English football on the pitch, it looks as though things could be about to get a whole lot better off the grass.
Speaking after the four-day inspection of the England 2018 World Cup bid, FIFA team leader Harold Mayne-Nicholls said that certain aspects - including the world-class stadiums and social projects - were "perfect".
He said: "All the needs and objectives of our visit were met and we are positive that the World Cup in England in 2018 or 2022 would be a great experience with a long-lasting legacy for the country and its people as well as for football worldwide."
The only problem FIFA had was about the number of hotel rooms available, although that seemed only a minor quibble.
The FIFA team had spent last week inspecting the Russian bid and raised concerns they would struggle to meet building deadlines. Russia are looking to build 14 new stadiums in 13 cities, along with overhauling the infrastructure. According to Mayne-Nicholls, work would need to begin "immediately."
Despite the concerns, Russia are still second favourites at [2.6] and not far behind England, who lead the way on [2.32]. England were out to [2.64] in the wake of the Triesman scandal, having been as low as [2.0] when the bid was initially launched.
It's now looking like a two horse race between Russia and England, with Spain and Portugal's joint bid trailing in third on [5.1].
Think England will win one World Cup this year? Let us know below.
Published: 26 Aug 2010
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