22nd February 2010: Morrisons, one of Britain’s leading supermarkets, today announced it has become a partner of England’s bid to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup™.

Morrisons is celebrating its support for England’s bid by mounting a campaign in its stores to collect more than two million customer signatures, which will help demonstrate the strength of public enthusiasm for England to host the ...]]>

Supermarket will collect more than two million signatures to help the nation show its support for the bid

22nd February 2010: Morrisons, one of Britain’s leading supermarkets, today announced it has become a partner of England’s bid to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup™.

Morrisons is celebrating its support for England’s bid by mounting a campaign in its stores to collect more than two million customer signatures, which will help demonstrate the strength of public enthusiasm for England to host the tournament, and to FIFA who will decide its destination in December 2010.

Mark Gunter, Group Retail Director at Morrisons, said: “We’re sure that our customers would be delighted if the World Cup came toEngland in 2018 and by becoming a commercial partner we can help them to play their part in supporting the bid.”

More than 10 million customers visit Morrisons stores across the country every week and the supermarket will be urging each and every one in England to show their support for the 2018 World Cup bid by signing up in-store from March 8.

Morrisons has a strong presence in all 12 candidate host cities – Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth, Sheffield and Sunderland.

Commencing immediately, today’s announcement sees Morrisons become a partner of England 2018, the organisation leading the nation’s bid to bring the World’s biggest football spectacle to this country.

The partnership, which runs throughout the remainder of the bid process, was announced at Wembley Stadium by Morrisons Group Retail Director, Mark Gunter, Andy Anson, England 2018 Chief Executive and bid ambassadors including England legends Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham.

Mark Gunter continues: “With our sporting store colleagues we are determined to demonstrate popular support for England’s bid by delivering more than two million signatures, showing FIFA the country’s passion and enthusiasm for hosting the world’s biggest football spectacle.”

Alan Shearer, former England star and bid ambassador said: “From talking to people both in football and outside the game, I know that there is massive enthusiasm for England’s bid right across the country. To have a company the size of Morrisons come on board as a commercial partner means that we will be able to demonstrate just how widespread that support is to the people that matter. I’d urge anyone who wants to see the FIFA World Cup held in England in 2018 to get down to their nearest Morrisons and sign up to show their support”.

Andy Anson, England 2018 bid Chief Executive, said: “Domestic support can play a vital role in helping to convince FIFA we would be worthy hosts of the 2018 World Cup. Since our launch in May, the response of the public to the bid has been fantastic. We have a unique and heartfelt passion for football in this country and we want to be able to demonstrate this to the world. I am confident that our partnership with Morrisons, a truly nationwide company, will help us do this by gathering further support from millions of people right across the country.”

For more details on the partnership visit www.morrisons.co.uk or www.england2018bid.com

Sunderland is one of ...]]>

Sunderland AFC star Darren Bent and Sunderland City Council Leader Paul Watson proudly raised the England 2018/2022 flag today, as the Sunderland 2018/2022 team takes aim at the biggest goal in football – the chance to host the FIFA World Cup. The flag is now flying at Sunderland AFC’s Academy of Light, one of many venues around the region that will have a role to play if England wins the right to host the event.

Sunderland is one of 12 Candidate Host Cities included in the Football Association’s bid which will be presented to FIFA in May. The city’s bid team is now working closely with The FA and the other cities to ensure that England presents the strongest possible case to FIFA. Part of that process involves ensuring that the bid effectively showcases Sunderland and North East England’s world class facilities, passion for football and huge desire to host FIFA World Cup matches.

The deciding votes of FIFA’s executive committee are due to be cast in early December, so the next 10 months will be crucial in England’s bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup. After the bid has been submitted, there will be a series of meetings during which bidding nations will have the opportunity to engage with FIFA representatives. There will then be a number of other key dates in the diary, before FIFA announces the successful host nations for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals.

In June and July there will also be the small matter of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The tournament is Africa’s first and will be a chance for everyone involved in or supporting the Sunderland bid to appreciate the magnitude of what is at stake for all of the current bidding nations and potential host cities. The FA will also use the opportunity to lobby members of the FIFA executive committee and Sunderland will offer any assistance that it can.

Then, in August and September, FIFA representatives will visit each of the 2018 and 2022 bidding nations to conduct crucial detailed inspections. With the North East identified as a key hub in England’s bid, there is a strong possibility that a FIFA delegation will make their way to see first-hand what the region has to offer before casting their votes in December.

From the start, Sunderland’s bid has been characterised by its involvement of people, organisations and facilities from throughout the North East and even Cumbria. Very strong partnerships have been formed with Middlesbrough FC, Durham County Cricket Club, Hartlepool United FC, Darlington FC and Carlisle United FC and all are integral to the Sunderland offer. The Sunderland 2018 bid team has also worked closely with local authorities and accommodation providers to deliver a compelling case for the region as part of England’s bid.

Now that Sunderland is a Candidate Host City, The FA needs the city and the region to continue to voice its support, this time for the England bid. If that is successful, hosting World Cup matches in Sunderland and North East England will provide huge opportunities for local communities and businesses alike.

Potentially hundreds of thousands of fans will fill Sunderland’s two official Fan Fest sites, various Live Sites and the centres of the North East’s towns and cities, to experience a fantastic spectacle of football, and bring millions of pounds to the local economy in the process. And a key element of Sunderland’s 2018 bid is also to leave a long lasting football legacy after the last ball of the tournament has been kicked, that will light up lives for communities and businesses regionally, nationally and internationally, for generations to come.

Community based football tournaments will be an important element of Sunderland’s programme of activity in the build up to the World Cup in 2018, and will also continue for long afterwards providing part of a larger, sustainable legacy. Led by the renowned Sunderland AFC Foundation, if England is successful the Sunderland team will also focus on using the power of football to build communities and business in a variety of other ways, developing public sports facilities, providing educational opportunities for children and adults, and helping to increase the opportunities for minority groups to benefit from participating in the ‘beautiful game’.

Sunderland has developed a hosting concept, ‘Lighting up Lives’, and that underpins everything that it offers the World Cup and was the core message of its bid to The FA. The city has already started to live up to that message by generating remarkable support from the public and the business community in the North East. The FA indicated at the outset of the bidding process that public support would play a crucial role in its assessment of candidate host cities. In less than six months last year, Sunderland received more than 50,000 ‘back the bid’ messages of support via signing registers, emails and text messages, with support coming from over 120 countries worldwide. Crucially, communities and institutions from across the North East and Cumbria united in their support of Sunderland’s bid, with many pledging exclusive, practical assistance to strengthen Sunderland’s technical bid and in doing so engage and unite communities.

In addition, national and international companies have got behind efforts to bring World Cup football to the North East, including Nissan, Caterpillar, Berghaus and Gentoo. Schools and universities have also been heavily involved in the bid and young people are at the heart of much of what Sunderland can offer the World Cup. Last year, thousands of school children entered a special competition to showcase their vision for a World Cup in Sunderland. In addition, students at colleges across the region and at the University of Sunderland have thrown their weight behind the bid, getting involved and showing their support by signing ‘back the bid’ registers on their campuses.

Sunderland AFC chairman Niall Quinn, said: “It is a great honour for Sunderland to be included in England’s World Cup bid but now the final crucial effort to convince FIFA that England is the most worthy candidate to host either the 2018 or 2022 tournament is really going to reach fever pitch. The Sunderland team is determined to do everything possible to make the dream of hosting the World Cup on these shores a reality.

“Should England be successful in winning the right to host the FIFA World Cup, the impact on the nation will be huge, and Sunderland and North East England will play a central role in that. But England needs to win the rights to host the tournament first and our ongoing support is vital. I urge everyone in the region to show their support now for this massive campaign and get behind the England 2018 host nation bid.”

Paul Watson, Leader of Sunderland City Council, added: “The people and businesses of the region have got a genuine opportunity to help bring the 2018 or 2022 FIFA World Cup to England by demonstrating how passionately they want to be involved in what is the greatest sporting event on Earth. To realise the opportunities and benefits that hosting the World Cup would bring, through tourism, business and community development, we all need to stand together and back England’s bid now and in the months ahead.”

Darren Bent added: “To play in a World Cup is the pinnacle of any footballer’s career and to see the tournament held in England in 2018 or 2022 would be absolutely amazing. Last year, I was more than happy to support Sunderland’s campaign to be part of the England bid. Now that we are a candidate host city, I know that everyone in Sunderland and the North East will be getting behind The FA as they try to bring an incredible event to this country.”

Individuals and businesses can register their support for the England FIFA World Cup bid at http://www.england2018bid.com/support/the-world-invited.aspx.

For more information, contact Press Ahead:

Chris Lines on 0191 516 6235, 07971 868329, cl@pressahead.info

Matt Hipgrave on 0191 5166235, 07949 044380, mh@pressahead.info.

Sunderland has been selected alongside a number of cities, including Manchester, Liverpool and London, to be included in The Football Association’s bid to FIFA as it looks to bring the world’s biggest sporting event to England for the first time since 1966.

Sunderland’s tireless 12 month campaign has seen the whole region get behind the bidding process. The ...]]> Sunderland is celebrating today after being chosen as a Candidate Host City as part of England’s bid to host the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cup™.

Sunderland has been selected alongside a number of cities, including Manchester, Liverpool and London, to be included in The Football Association’s bid to FIFA as it looks to bring the world’s biggest sporting event to England for the first time since 1966.

Sunderland’s tireless 12 month campaign has seen the whole region get behind the bidding process. The England 2018 bid team indicated that levels of public support for individual host city bids would be an important factor when it came to selecting the final cities and thousands of individuals from across the North East rose to the challenge by pledging their support.

Sunderland AFC Chairman Niall Quinn expressed his delight at the news today: “I am absolutely thrilled – what a fantastic day for Sunderland and the North East. As soon as we were aware that England was considering a bid to host the 2018/22 FIFA World Cup we knew we wanted to be part of something that could showcase our club, our city and the region on a scale bigger than anything we’ve ever known.

“The collaboration between the City Council and the football club has been seamless, with both organisations working hand in hand to demonstrate to England 2018 just why they needed Sunderland at the heart of their bid.

“Of course there’s still a lot of hard work to be done to bring the World Cup to England and our focus in the coming weeks and months will shift to doing everything we can to help The FA in their campaign. Now is the time for the whole country to come together, back the bid and play their part.”

Middlesbrough FC, Darlington FC, Hartlepool United FC, Carlisle United FC and Durham County Cricket Club all signed up to Sunderland’s bid and are showcased as potential training venues for visiting international teams.

Councillor Paul Watson, Leader of Sunderland City Council said: “There are so many people and organisations that have helped us to achieve this and I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has played their part – large or small – in this success today.

“To see the region come together as one has been tremendous and to be named as a Candidate Host City is just reward for the sheer effort and enthusiasm that the bid team and the people of our region have demonstrated.

Lesley Callaghan, Sunderland AFC’s Marketing and Commercial Director, who led the football club’s involvement in the bid process added: “This has been a huge team effort and I am immensely grateful to everyone involved in the bid process for their unwavering enthusiasm and passion. Sunderland being awarded Candidate Host City Status is something for everyone involved in the bid and associated with the city to be tremendously proud of today.

It’s a historic day for the Club, the city and the region but this is only the beginning as we need to continue to work together to help England become successful in 2010, so we can bring the biggest sporting event in the world here.”

Sunderland’s 2018 World Cup Bid Director and Sunderland City Council’s Head of Culture and Tourism, Chris Alexander, said: “The bidding process has been a challenge for all of us but the partnership between the City Council and Sunderland AFC, along with some great support from many different individuals and organisations has been inspiring. We are proud and absolutely delighted to have been able to secure this for our city and our region.”

A number of high profile companies and businesses throughout the region also gave the bid their backing, including Nissan, Caterpillar and Gentoo.

It is estimated that staging FIFA World Cup™ games in the North East could boost the regional economy by tens of millions of pounds, with further long term benefits including the development and improvement of infrastructure and sporting facilities, as well as a significant increase in tourism, leaving a lasting legacy for decades to come.

Stacy Hall, Director of Communications and Tourism at One North East said: “To have two Stadia included in England’s 2018/2022 World Cup bid is an exceptional achievement by everyone involved with the bid process and all those who have supported the bids.

“Should England be successful in earning the right to host the World Cup, having both venues chosen will bring enormous economic benefits to the North East for business and tourism. Thousands of people will visit the region for matches and Fan Fests requiring hotels, restaurants and leisure facilities and the tournament will showcase the North East to an audience of millions across the world.”

The decision on which country will host the FIFA World Cup™ in 2018 will be announced in December 2010.

Sunderland AFC and Sunderland City Council have worked tirelessly over the last 12 months preparing what Club and city officials feel is truly compelling bid and SAFC Chairman Niall Quinn is now calling on the whole country to help ...]]>

The dream of bringing World Cup football to Sunderland and the North East region moved a step closer this week as the city submitted it’s final document in it’s bid to become a Host City as part of the England 2018 campaign.

Sunderland AFC and Sunderland City Council have worked tirelessly over the last 12 months preparing what Club and city officials feel is truly compelling bid and SAFC Chairman Niall Quinn is now calling on the whole country to help turn England’s World Cup dreams into reality.

Quinn said: “I’m confident that England 2018 will prepare a spectacular bid for FIFA and after the hard word, passion and determination show by our bid team and the people of our region, I sincerely hope that Sunderland is a part of that bid.

“Now is the time for everyone across the country to pull together and show the rest of the world what we can do. The next few months will be crucial in terms of the national bid; we must show unity and strength and demonstrate to FIFA why England is the natural choice as World Cup hosts for 2018.”

He continued: “If the passion and enthusiasm our city and the North East region as a whole has shown is replicated across the whole country then I have no doubt that England can deliver.

England 2018 Chief Executive Andy Anson said: “With the range of options we’ve now got available to us because of the work cities have done we can come up with a fantastically credible option with which no other bidding nation can compete

The successful Host Cities will be announced on December 16th, with a further 12 month wait to find out if England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup has met with FIFA’s approval.

The final Sunderland 2018 bid presentation document will be delivered to England 2018 at a special Wembley Stadium event this Thursday, November 26.

The Sunderland delegation – which will be making the trip down ...]]>

The Sunderland 2018 Host City bid is set for its final Wembley showdown this week following months of hard work and preparations that have seen businesses, organisations and more than 50,000 people give their support to the campaign to bring World Cup football to the North East.

The final Sunderland 2018 bid presentation document will be delivered to England 2018 at a special Wembley Stadium event this Thursday, November 26.

The Sunderland delegation – which will be making the trip down to London on the Black Cats official team bus- will be led by Sunderland AFC chairman Niall Quinn and Chief Executive of Sunderland City Council, Dave Smith, who will be accompanied by other key members of the bid team, including SAFC striker and England 2018 Ambassador Kenwyne Jones, Leader of Sunderland City Council Paul Watson and SAFC Chief Executive Steve Walton.

The delegation will also be joined by five youngsters representing Sunderland AFC and partner clubs Middlesbrough FC, Darlington FC Hartlepool United FC and Carlisle United FC, all of whom play a part in Sunderland’s bid.

Sunderland is one of 16 candidate host cities competing to be included in England’s 2018 bid to FIFA. The final evaluation of candidate host city bids will be announced by the England 2018 bid team on December 16, with a decision by FIFA on which countries will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to follow in December 2010.

The FA has stated that levels of public support for individual host city bids will be an important factor when it makes its decision about which venues to include in its proposal to FIFA. Enthusiasm for the Sunderland 2018 bid has been exceptional, with tens of thousands of people signing registers, and sending texts, emails and letters of support, all of which will be included in the final presentation on Thursday.

Niall Quinn, chairman of Sunderland AFC, said: “The final Sunderland 2018 Host City bid presentation at Wembley Stadium represents the culmination of months of hard work and the support of tens of thousands of people from across the North East, who would love to see World Cup football at the Stadium of Light.

“I would like to thank everyone for their truly wonderful support, including the many businesses that have played a key role in supporting the 2018 bid, such as Nissan, Caterpillar and Gentoo and the sporting institutions that are integral to our proposal and vision of bringing World Cup football to the whole of the region, such Durham CCC, Middlesbrough FC, Hartlepool United FC, Darlington FC and Carlisle United FC.

If Sunderland is to be successful, it would be a truly wonderful achievement and I urge everyone across the country, regardless of which cities make it into the final England 2018 proposal, to get behind England’s bid in the coming months and show FIFA exactly what it would mean to host the World Cup here.

Leader of Sunderland City Council, Cllr Paul Watson said: “The sheer enthusiasm and passion that has been shown by everyone – from the bid team, to local business and the people of our region – has been wonderful to see. We have really demonstrated to the rest of the country just what this bid means to us and my thanks go out to everyone who has played their part.”

Kenwyne Jones, an official England 2018 Ambassador for the FA added: “It is such an honour to be delivering the final 2018 bid presentation and I am really looking forward to visiting Wembley Stadium.

It would mean so much to the people in the North East to have World Cup football in their region, and I know that the fans would make any match an incredible occasion

Steve, Sunderland 2018 bid champion, is a lifelong fan of Sunderland AFC and has just picked up his new Volkswagen Touareg from the Pulman site on Newcastle Road. While ...]]>

Volkswagen retailer Pulman is revving up regional support for Sunderland’s bid to host matches at the 2018 World Cup. Visitors to its Sunderland and Durham sites have been signing special ‘back the bid’ books, and Olympic athlete Steve Cram has even dropped by to encourage people to get behind the campaign.

Steve, Sunderland 2018 bid champion, is a lifelong fan of Sunderland AFC and has just picked up his new Volkswagen Touareg from the Pulman site on Newcastle Road. While there, he and sales manager Neil Bianchi persuaded staff and customers to add their names to the thousands of signatures that have already been collected around the region and which will be presented to the England 2018 bid team with Sunderland’s final proposal.

Steve Cram comments:

The Football Association has made it clear that the level of public support each bidding city generates will be taken into account when the final list is chosen to form part of England’s proposal to host the World Cup. The Sunderland campaign is going really well and tens of thousands of people have backed the bid. However, we want even more names on our list, so that we can demonstrate just how passionate people are about bringing World Cup football to North East England. I urge fans to sign a book or log onto www.sunderland2018-2022.com and show their support for this great bid.

Simon Sumner, Brand Manager, of Pulman Volkswagen, adds:

The prospect of Sunderland hosting World Cup matches in 2018 is very exciting, for both the city and the wider region. It also represents a big opportunity for businesses from all sectors, as it would have a big, positive impact on the North East’s profile and reputation, bringing in thousands of visitors and making a huge contribution to the regional economy. We’re collecting signatures at both Pulman Volkswagen sites, in Durham and Sunderland, and I’m grateful to Steve for helping us to promote the bid here.

The Sunderland 2018 bid will be submitted to the FA on 9 November, with a decision on the final list of prospective host cities to be included in the England proposal due just over a month later. Members of the public can also back the bid online at www.sunderland2018-2022.com or by SMS message, by texting “Sunderland2018″ followed by their name, house number and postcode, all to 62299. Texts are charged at the standard network rate.

Karen Redhead, Vice Principal (Curriculum and Quality) at South Tyneside College is delighted to be associated with the bid. She comments: