Government Publishes England World Cup Study

Gordon Brown and the Secretary of State for Culture, Tessa Jowell have published the Government's official study into the feasibility of hosting a future World Cup, concluding that England is well placed to bid to host the tournament in 2018, and has strong public support for doing so.

Gordon Brown and Tessa Jowell were joined this morning by the Minister for Sport, Richard Caborn, for a tour of the new Wembley National Stadium, which would host the final of the 2018 tournament if it was held in England.

Gordon Brown said: "By 2018, it will be more than 50 years since England first hosted the World Cup, and I believe it is time the tournament returned to the nation which gave football to the world. With the Olympics in London in 2012, hosting the World Cup in 2018 would make the next decade the greatest in Britain's sporting history. I want every region of the country to share in the benefits of these sporting events, I want every young person to be inspired by them to increase their own participation in sport, and - if The FA decide to launch a bid - I would make it my personal mission over the next few years to persuade countries around the world to support that bid."

Tessa Jowell said: "The Government will proudly back a bid by the FA for the 2018 World Cup. We are a great footballing nation with great sporting ambitions. We will host the Olympic Games in 2012 and our own confidence and ambition is underlined by our support for a World Cup bid, which just like the Olympics will create a sporting legacy for a generation."