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MPs criticise England’s 2018 bid- 5 Jul 2011 00:00:00

England’s failed campaign to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup has come under more scrutiny following a report by MP’s, who have criticised the bid – adding that it failed to learn lessons from previous attempts.

England’s bid received only two votes – with the finals eventually awarded to Russia.

The report calls on the Football Association to hold a review, stating: ‘England's bid team appears to have lacked a number of the components of a successful bid’.

‘Lessons did not appear to have been learned from previous studies with regard to the composition and unity of the bid team, and the messages it needed to project’.

A spokesman for the FA responded: ‘The FA made its own position clear on the need for governance reform within FIFA during the recent FIFA Congress and it welcomes the shared views of the committee in this regard’.

‘Our focus is now on ensuring that the FA and all of English football work towards building stronger and more enduring international relationships. We can confirm that the FA chairman David Bernstein has begun a process of evaluating our current representation on FIFA and UEFA committees, while determining how we can best strengthen our international relationships, both formally and informally’.

The report also criticises FIFA’s response to recent bribery claims, claiming world football’s governing body: ‘has given every impression of wishing to sweep all allegations of misconduct under the carpet and of dismissing anyone bringing allegations to them with an approach bordering on contempt’.