All four of London’s stadia have been selected for inclusion as part of the England 2018 bid to host the FIFA World Cup in eight years time.London is one of 12 UK cities that will host matches if the tournament is awarded to England next December for the first time in 50 years. The other cities named by England 2018are Sunderland, Birmingham, Nottingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle, Bristol, Plymouth, Milton Keynes and Manchester.
London’s host city bid was submitted with four suggested stadia including the iconic Wembley Stadium, London’s Olympic Stadium, Arsenal’s Emirates and the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
If England wins the honour of hosting the FIFA World Cup, Wembley will automatically stage the opening game and the final. Wembley will be joined by Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. A choice will then be made in 2013 over whether to stage matches at London’s new Olympic Stadium or at the new home of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
As well as the stadia, 12 venues specific training sites and 14 team base camps have been put forward for London.
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “With some of the finest stadia in the world and a passionate fan base for every team in the World Cup, London will offer an unrivalled backdrop to the thrilling action on the pitch. If the World Cup comes to the capital it will be a once-in-a-lifetime football experience for players and fans alike.”
Ken Kelling, a member of the London United team and Director of Communications at Visit London said: “We are delighted that London has been chosen to go forward as a host city. A World Cup bid needs a world city and London will no doubt play a central role in the national campaign to bring the FIFA World Cup to England. Everyone involved in putting London’s bid together is now looking forward to supporting England 2018’s ambitions at an international level. This has been a great start, but now we need to re-double our efforts as a city and a country, if we are to win one of the greatest sporting prizes in the world.”
