England World Cup Bid

West Midlands united to back England’s 2018 World Cup Bid

As a Football Association delegation led by David Beckham handed over a final copy of England’s 2018 World Cup bid to FIFA in Zurich, a simultaneous event at Villa Park in Birmingham saw stakeholders and club representatives from all over the West Midlands, led by Birmingham City Council Deputy Leader Paul Tilsley, came together to show their support.

Accompanied by children from Hodge Hill School, who handed in Birmingham’s original bid at Wembley in November, the Stakeholder Group took delivery of a ‘Lite’ version of the official England bid which fully outlines the extent to which the West Midlands will feature in an England World Cup should the bid be successful.

With Villa Park as the main match venue, the final bid reveals that the Premier League homes of Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Stoke City, together with Walsall’s Banks’s Stadium, Shrewsbury Town’s Prostar Stadium and home of international athletics, Birmingham Alexander Stadium, will be used as prestige training grounds. Sports facilities at the University of Warwick are also set to welcome the cream of world football talent, whilst the NEC and Cannon Hill Park will provide the carnival atmosphere of official Fan Festivals. Birmingham City University’s Pavilion facility could also be home to a ‘Football for Hope’ tournament. Hotels also play a key part in the proposition, with several named as potential team base camps throughout the tournament.

As well as providing a veritable feast of football, fun and culture across the region, it is also estimated that the local economy would benefit to the tune of around £150m. The estimated national economic impact figure is in the region of £3.2billion.

A successful England bid also opens possibilities for various events related to the tournament, with venues such as the NEC, NIA and ICC likely to bid for events including the tournament draw and FIFA Congress, while the University of Birmingham could provide an idyllic setting for the referees’ workshop. A host of the region’s events and banqueting venues including Town Hall, Aston Hall, Soho House and Barber Institute could also be utilised by visiting teams and FIFA delegations for hospitality, workshops and conventions.

Speaking at the event, Cllr. Paul Tilsley said: “Birmingham has all of the attributes to become an exceptional home for the FIFA World Cup™. One of England’s many strengths is the nation’s deep passion for football, and with an unprecedented five West Midlands teams set to go head to head in the Barclays Premier League next season, the enthusiasm for the game is more prominent across this region than ever before. It’s that passion for the game, together with the wide and varied cultural make-up of Birmingham and the West Midlands, which is certain to ensure any competing nation would enjoy a Villa Park crowd offering as fervent support as they would receive in a home game.”

The event was also attended by former Aston Villa midfielder Ian Taylor who said:
“I’ve been proud to support a local team, Aston Villa, all my life and I’m delighted that Birmingham has been selected as a candidate city for the England World Cup Bid 2018. It will be a brilliant coup for the whole of the West Midlands, which has such a strong football heritage, if England is selected to host the World Cup.”

Mike Whitby, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said:“Birmingham is an ideal host city. We’ve got everything, the transport infrastructure, the facilities, the expertise and of course a huge passion for sport. In Villa Park we have one of the finest stadiums in the country and as a multi-cultural city we can guarantee a warm welcome for any teams based in Birmingham. Football is a unique medium for promoting a location and with a global audience of billions, staging World Cup matches will provide the perfect opportunity to showcase Birmingham to the world.The economic impact would be formidable and such a high profile event can only inspire young people from across the city, leaving a lasting legacy.”

For more information visit the England 2018 website