Sunderland 2018 Host City Bid

Six flights in seven days and over 13,000 miles covered during our visit gives you some indication of the scale of the 2010 South Africa World Cup. The trip has been invaluable for the Candidate Host Cities, giving us all first-hand experience of just what will be expected of our cities and our football clubs if England 2018 becomes a reality. Make no mistake, this is not about simply hosting a few football matches, the scale of a FIFA World Cup is overwhelming. Over half a million visitors have flocked to South Africa during the opening two weeks of the tournament, boosting the economy significantly and introducing a whole new audience to this unique country. The logistics of running what is the biggest sporting event in the world should not be underestimated – years, not months, of strategic planning are required to meet FIFA’s exacting standards but it is a challenge that Sunderland and our fellow cities are ready to take on. A huge amount of work has already been undertaken to get us to this stage and when the FIFA inspection team visits later this year England will be ready to show them how we can deliver an outstanding tournament. South Africa faced many challenges to achieve its dream – new stadiums needed to be constructed, existing facilities upgraded and transport infrastructure developed. England’s robust bid already has much of what is required in place. However, what our bid does share with South Africa 2010 is a passion and determination to show the world that we would be worthy hosts of this global sporting phenomenon. If the enthusiasm and belief of the 12 Candidate Host Cities is mirrored across the country then England’s 2018 bid will go from strength to strength. December 2 is FIFA’s decision day and between now and then our country needs to unite behind this bid. Please continue to show your support now by logging on to www.england2018bid.com and help our dream to become a reality.