Another look at England’s possible bid
One of the factors that makes England the superb destination for the World Cup to be staged, besides being considered the Mother of Football, is the huge amount of stadiums that are already built and serving their purpose. The standard is so high that basically, there wouldn’t be need for any infrastructural improvements. This would save FIFA, UEFA and the FA loads of money. The capacity of the stadiums is significantly high as well, and given that the number of stadiums needed would be twelve, this would not be a difficulty if the World Cup were to be hosted by England.
England has the best and most competitive football league in the world. The FA earns hundreds of millions from television revenue only. The best football players in the world play in England. England is in Europe, making it easily reachable by a large portion of football spectators. The importance given to football in Europe is not the same as it is given in other candidate nations like China, Australia or the USA. Also, the time-zones would be a problem if the World Cup was hosted by one of these countries.
England is ready to host a World Cup next week if it were necessary. All the facts point to one simple conclusion. England is the perfect place to host the World Cup. FIFA is risking enough by hosting the next 2 World Cups in countries that need infrastructural improvement (South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014). It wouldn’t need this risk for the 2018 event. If England is the winning bid to host the World Cup, FIFA can rest assured that the event will be a success, financially and in terms of football and security.
Bid Information
February 18, 2008 @ 10:54 am
Kip Mcqueen said:
This is my ideal list of English cities and stadiums I would like to be used for a 2018 world cup. The stadiums have a minimum and maximum capacity which have been suggested in the past, and some stadiums I have made up as I feel something new would have to be built in that city. However when the bid goes in I don’t think that all the stadiums will have the maximum capacity, although I would like them too. Also my ideal list gives a good geographic spread around the country wich is something Fifa want. But please bear in mind Sepp Blatter has said he wants the minimum stadium size in 2018 to be 45,000.
Ideal list:
1. London, Wembley Stadium, 90,000.
2. Manchester, Old Trafford, 76,212 - 95,212.
3. Liverpool, New Anfield, 71,000.
4. London, Emirates Stadium, 60,432.
5. Newcastle, St James Park, 60,390.
6. Birmingham, Villa Park, 52,000.
7. Leeds, New Leeds Stadium, 40,00 - 50,000.
8. Nottingham, New Nottingham stadium, 45,000 - 50,000.
9. Sheffield, New Sheffield Stadium, 40,000 - 48,000.
10. Portsmouth, New Portsmouth Stadium, 36,000 - 45,000.
11. Bristol, New Bristol Stadium, 40,000 - 45,000.
12. Norwich, New Norwich Stadium, 40,000 - 45,000.
What do you think about these cities?
Reserve Stadiums:
1. London, New West Ham Stadium, 55,000 - 60,000.
2. London, Expanded Stamford bridge / New Chelsea Stadium, 55,000 - 65,000.
3. London, White Hart Lane, 55,000.
4. Birmingham, City of Birmingham Stadium, 55,000.
5. Liverpool/ kirkby, New Everton Stadium, 50,000 - 60,000.
6. Sunderland, Stadium of Light, 49,000 - 64,000.
7. Manchester, City of Manchester Stadium, 47,726.
8. Southampton, St Mary’s Stadium, 40,000 - 48,000.
February 20, 2008 @ 2:17 pm
Stuart G said:
Why do England have to exclude any stadia in there bid that can meet FIFA requirements. Every World Cup in the past, the pitches have got worse thoughout a tournament. With 64 games during a world cup, thats an average of 5 or 6 games per ground over 6 weeks. We should look at having 16 stadias with the 8 main staduims chosen hosting only two instead of three group games.
My Stadias - I have divided my selection down to clusters for each group as travelling fans would not want to travel 200 miles for each group game, with the primary ground from each cluster staging a last 16 game.
1st cluster
1. Newcastle, St. James Park (1/4 Final)
2. Sunderland, Stadium of Light (Last 16)
2nd cluster
1.Middlesborough, Riverside (last 16)
2. Leeds, Elland Road (Last 16)
3rd cluster
1. Liverpool, Stanley Park (1/4 Final)
2. Liverpool, Goodison Park (Last 16)
4th cluster
1. Manchester, Old Trafford (Last 16, Semi)
2. Manchester, Eastfields
5th cluster
1. Nottingham, Brian Clough Stadium (1/4 Final)
2. Derby, Pride Park (Last 16)
6th cluster
1. Birmingham, Villa Park (Last 16, Semi)
2. Coventry, Ricoh Stadium
7th cluster
1. Leicester, Walkers (last 16)
2. Milton Keynes, MK Staduim
8th cluster
1. London, Wembley (1/4final, Final)
2. London, 2012 Olympic Staduim (3rd Place)
Not sure if the two Liverpool and Manchester cluster will happen so if not they would be joined as one and Portsmouth, Fratton Park and Southampton, Pride Park would become another.
Please give me your thoughts?!?!?
February 21, 2008 @ 9:46 am
Mike said:
Only 12 Venues. Everything the first guy says instead of Southampton for Portsmouth
February 26, 2008 @ 6:47 pm
prakash said:
i m sure the organisers england comes out with a master plan, england world champions 2018.
try to follow the french way in 1998. french travelled less. from lyon to marsellie and final group match till the triumphant final game at stade de france.
so let england kick off at st james park, 2nd game at elland rd, 3rd at anfield, 2nd round old trafford, 1/4 finals at city ground, semi finals at villa park and the final at wembley…let the england team find their road to wembley.
March 30, 2008 @ 2:22 pm
Kasbah said:
Stuart G, only one city can use more than one stadium. so we can’t have 2 stadia from liverpool, and in manchester, and in birmingham, and in london. this rule is one thing that holds back the England bid because the big cities each have 2 big stadia.
it is highly likely that London will have 2 stadia (Wembley + one of emirates, white hart lane or stamford bridge), so that means top notch stadia like city of manchester stadium, new everton stadium, new birmingham stadium, etc won’t get used as the FA is likely to go with old trafford, new anfield, and villa park.
likely list will include: wembley, emirates, old trafford, villa park, new anfield, st james park, stadium of light, then 3 of the following: elland road, hillsborough, city ground nottingham, portman road/carrow road, pride park, st marys, new bristol stadium, walkers.
due to the FA trying to spread the games out i think it’s unlikely that elland road, hillsborough AND pride park will all get used due to their proximity to each other, and it is likely that a non-london southern stadium and an anglian stadium will be used, at least for group games.
can’t see past wembley, new anfield, emirates and old trafford for semi-final venues, with st james and stadium of light getting quarter final games aswell.
June 25, 2008 @ 6:43 am
Zac said:
YOU CAN HAVE NEW ANFIELD AND NEW GOODISON AS KIRBY IS REGISTERED AS SEPERATE CITY TO LIVERPOOL, this being one reason why everton don’t want their stadium built there.
Here is the list then…
Final - Wembley
Third (providing game still exists) - New Anfield
Semis:
Old Trafford, Villa Park
Quarters:
Old Trafford, Wembley, Anfield, Villa Park
Last 16:
Old Trafford, Wembley, Anfield, Villa Park, St. James’ Park, New Pompey, Emirates, Walkers Stadium.
Groups:
1.Twickenham, Wembley (wembley has to host first game)
2.Riverside, Elland Road
3.Old Trafford, Blackburn (fifa money going towards upgrade)
4.Villa Park, Ricoh Arena (again upgraded)
5.Southhampton, New Pompey
6.Walkers Stadium, Hillsborough
7.Stadium of Light, St. James’ Park
8.Stanley Park, New Goodison
If you watched the Euro 2008 group stages you’ll notice I’ve scheduled group stadiums in close vincinity of the other ground in that group in the same way, thus reducing travel time, and more importantly environmental damage. This could be another point towards bidding victory, as HUGE rival countries like Spain and Canada have to travel for hours between grounds.