28 Jan 2009

England confirm bid for 2018 football World Cup

9:51 am on 28 January 2009

England, the leading candidate to host the 2018 Football World Cup, has officially confirmed its bid with the delivery of a letter of intent to FIFA.

England, the birthplace of football, has not hosted the tournament for over 40 years but face competition from rivals including Australia, Belgium and the Netherlands, China, Japan, Mexico, Portugal and Spain, Qatar and Russia.

FIFA will decide on the hosts of both tournaments in December of next year.