FIFA chief Franz Beckenbauer is convinced England are the only realistic candidates to host the World Cup finals in 2018. The German legend played an influential role in the successful finals on his home soil last summer and insists there is 'no other choice' than to hand England the showpiece in 11 years time.
Beckenbauer, who has become an even more powerful figure in the game after being appointed as a member of FIFA,s executive committee, said: "I am 100 per cent behind an English bid. England has everything – the best stadiums, the best crowds and the infrastructure. It is a perfect country to host the World Cup."
The next finals in 2010 will be held in South Africa, followed by a tournament in South America four years later – likely to be in Brazil, but Prime Minister Tony Blair has already given his backing for a potential 2018 bid. England won the World Cup in 1966 after hosting the event and also held the European Championships in 1996.
Spain are expected to be England's main rivals bidders, but Beckenbauer said: "The only country I see with an obvious chance is England. Who else can bid from Europe? France has already staged it in 1998 and Italy do not have the infrastructure."
England lost out to Germany in a bid to stage the 2006 finals but Beckenbauer says that will work in our favour for 2018. He added: "England competed with us and they lost but they always have the confidence."
FIFA president Sepp Blatter will meet Sports Minister Richard Caborn and Prime Minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown at No.11 Downing Street next month and the Treasury are set to make public their plans. Caborn was convinced the bid for 2006 was doomed from the start, but that this one will be successful.
He said: "The reality was that there had been a 'deal' to allow Germany to host the World Cup in 2006 and the FA's bid was a waste of time. This time we shall have everything in line before any bid is made.
"The FA can count on commitment from the government and that is something we shall be pressing upon Sepp Blatter. We have invited him to No.11 and he has agreed to attend a meeting on February 28."
Caborn added: "This will be a great opportunity for a proper dialogue with the main decision-makers in football. I am aware of the Treasury's feasibility study on the World Cup and when it will be published. It will be a positive step forward towards bringing the World Cup here."
