Birmingham kicks off campaign to stage World Cup games
Nov 26 2009 by Paul Suart, Birmingham Mail
BIRMINGHAM’S campaign to stage matches in the 2018 football World Cup was under way today.
Comedian Jasper Carrott, former Villa, Baggies and Wolves striker Cyrille Regis and city council leader Coun Mike Whitby have presented the Back the Birmingham Bid document to the city’s chosen delegates – children from Hodge Hill Primary School.
Eleven football mad youngsters were today heading for Wembley to escort the city’s Bid document to Football Association officials.
Representatives from Birmingham City Council, the NEC and the region’s top football clubs were joining them, along with Simon Topman, of Acme Whistles, who was taking an original Acme Thunderer whistle made in Birmingham for the 1966 World Cup.
The 15 other applicant cities, including London, Manchester, Leeds, Leicester, Nottingham, Derby and Newcastle, were also submitting their bids, which list proposals for stadia, training facilities, public transport, base camps and fan parks, to the FA.
West Midlands families have been extremely supportive of the Birmingham Mail-backed bid with thousands either voting online, uploading One Kick videos or joining the bid’s Facebook page.
The FA is looking for between 12 and 18 stadia but has gave no indication of how many cities they want to play a part.
On December 16, a panel chaired by Football League chairman Brian Mawhinney will select and announce the successful applicant cities.
The England Bid will be presented to FIFA in May.
FIFA’s executive committee will announce in December 2010 which of the nine bid countries has been successful.
