England footballer Jill Scott today took time out from training to voice her support for Sunderland’s bid to be a host city for the 2018 football World Cup. Scott, who is back in the North East following her heroics in the Women’s European Championships, is a lifelong Sunderland AFC fan and is passionate about bringing the biggest sporting event in the world to North East England.

Sunderland’s campaign to be a host city in England’s World Cup bid has already attracted …

More than 200 pubs and bars from across the North East are gearing up to help their regulars get behind Sunderland’s bid to bring World Cup football to the region in 2018.

Scottish & Newcastle, the UK’s leading beer and cider business and the name behind drinks such as Heineken, Newcastle Brown Ale, Foster’s and Strongbow- is delivering new ‘Let’s welcome the world, Sunderland 2018 Host City Bid’ beer mats to its pub and bar customers in Tyne and Wear and …

Sunderland welcomed a delegation from England’s 2018 team today in what was the final inspection visit before a decision is made on which cities will form part of England’s bid to FIFA to host the 2018 football World Cup.

The delegates were met by the Sunderland bid team, headed up by Bid Champion Steve Cram, Sunderland AFC Chief Executive Steve Walton, Chairman of the Leighton Group Paul Callaghan and officials from Sunderland City Council and Sunderland Football Club.

After an early morning …

Just think how great it would be if the best football players in the world came to the North East in 2018. Great football, great fun meeting fans from countries around the globe, great for all the businesses and tourist venues here. We need your help. We need to demonstrate to the Football Association how much it means to people in Sunderland and around the region and you can play your part by adding your name and age to the …

This week, Sunderland’s 2018 bid team are busily preparing for what could be a crucial decision-making visit for the city’s and the region’s 2018 World Cup prospects should England be successful in securing the competition.

Delegates from England 2018 will once again visit the region to inspect facilities for the final time on Wednesday before they have to decide which cities will be included in England’s official 2018 World Cup bid.

Kicking off in June, Sunderland’s bid has continued to gather …

Sunderland fans can Back the Bid and have some fantastic footy fun when World Cup 2018 inspectors visit the City this Wednesday.

The fun starts at 10.45am and runs through until 12.15pm on the grassy area next to the Minster, stiltwalkers, a balloonist, face painters and a DJ will be on hand.

A team of inspectors from the Football Association will be heading to the city as part of a comprehensive programme of visits as the race to host potential …

Businesses in Sunderland are being urged to boost the city’s World Cup bid by supporting a high-profile poster campaign.

It is hoped the drive will help convince an official Football Association delegation, expected in Sunderland on Wednesday, that the city is the best place to host matches if the tournament comes to England in 2018.

Sunderland AFC and the city council – backed by the Echo, Sunderland arc and One NorthEast – are hoping to bring qualifying games to the Stadium of …

Middlesbrough Football Club has thrown it’s weight behind Sunderland’s campaign for Host City status as part of England’s 2018 World Cup bid.

The Sunderland bid aims to fuse the passion and enthusiasm of the people of the North East with the wealth of first-class facilities throughout the region, to create the perfect environment for World Cup football.

And Middlesbrough Chairman Steve Gibson has given his personal backing to the Sunderland bid:

Global engineering and manufacturing giant Caterpillar is backing Sunderland’s bid to be a host city for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The firm, which currently employs 600 people at its Peterlee plant and has 230 suppliers, many of which are local businesses, is keen to support the bid, which could result in a major boost to the region’s economy and the creation of thousands of new jobs across the North East.

Phil Handley, managing director at Caterpillar Peterlee, said: