Look back in anger: England World Cup bid defeated
By Peter Wozniak and Ian Dunt
England has been denied its ambition to host the 2018 World Cup, despite a frantic international effort by David Cameron.
Vigorous last minute campaigning by a delegation led by the prime minister, David Beckham and Prince William raised hopes of victory after a troubled campaign, but did not sway enough of the 22 Fifa delegates, who voted for Russia.
Defeat was compounded by unconfirmed reports that England was eliminated in the first round of voting, coming behind the joint bid by Belgium and the Netherlands.
The news was greeted by dismay from the bid team and crowds who had braved the cold weather to watch the announcements on big screens across the country.
“Unfortunately it was not to be,” the prime minister’s spokesman said.
“Absolutely gutted that England has missed out on World Cup 2018, especially as Sheffield was to be a host city,” Nick Clegg wrote on Twitter.
Ed Miliband tweeted: “Really disappointed that England missed out on hosting World Cup 2018. It was a really great bid. One day, I hope!”
Labour’s shadow sports minister Ivan Lewis called for an inquiry into the failed bid.
“Despite the impressive efforts of Team England, supporters will be bitterly disappointed at England’s failure to land the 2018 World Cup,” he said.
“This follows on from the England team’s poor performance in South Africa. Serious questions have to be answered as to how we can learn lessons from these significant setbacks to build a better future. The coalition and the football authorities should now set up an independent root and branch inquiry into all aspects of how our national game is run.”
London Mayor Boris Johnson said: “This is a tremendously disappointing result. We put together a cracking bid, our technical specification was top notch and our stadiums would have been packed to the rafters.
“Londoners love football. This is a blow but we have achieved a great deal with this bid and we have much to look ahead to.”
Football’s world governing body has been mired in controversy, following a Panorama investigation which alleged three members of Fifa’s executive committee – the men who will decide the fate of the bids today – took bribes from a Swiss marketing company in the 1990s.
Mr Beckham later admitted to Sky News sources that some Fifa delegates had raised the Panorama episode when he lobbied them.
Today’s result was keenly awaited after each of the competing bids sent ‘dream team’ delegations to drum up last minute support.
England made their final presentation to Fifa delegates this morning. Mr Cameron gave the bid last minute impetus, telling reporters before going on stage: “We’ve got to go in there and give it everything we’ve got.”
He then told the committee that should England win the bid, it would be “the most spectacular World Cup in history”.
Prince William added: “I know we can deliver extraordinary public occasions. I certainly hope so, as I’m planning quite a big one myself next year.”
Meanwhile, Ed Miliband’s departing spokeswoman has apologised for suggesting that the prime minister was ‘pimping’ himself in Zurich to secure the 2018 World Cup.
Katie Myler made the comments on a private Twitter feed, where they were discovered and published by journalists.
The gaffe came at the same time as Mr Miliband expressed his best wishes for the England bid on the social networking site.
She later withdrew the unfortunate remarks, saying in an interview with the BBC: “I wholeheartedly apologise for the comments. I hope England wins the bid and I’m delighted to see Prince William, David Beckham and David Cameron there.”
