English 2018 bid team to intensify lobbying ahead of FIFA vote
The team behind England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup will intensify its lobbying efforts prior to FIFA's vote on 2 December, with prime minister David Cameron set to spend three days in Zurich.
Cameron, who is scheduled to arrive in Zurich to meet with FIFA officials two days before the vote on Tuesday 30 November, will likely meet all 22 members of the body's vote-casting executive committee on his visit.
The prime minister will return to London briefly on Wednesday 1 December for Prime Minister's Questions before returning to Zurich later the same day.
Meanwhile, David Dein, international president of the English bid, said that he hopes for a successful conclusion to the bid prior to the vote.
BBC Panorama, an investigate TV programme, has conducted an investigation into FIFA that has been said to be damaging to the English bid, but Dein said he was optimistic ahead of the documentary's broadcast on Monday 29 November.
"We've got to concentrate on one thing and one thing only — to give it our best shot," said Dein to the BBC. "English football and particularly the Premier League, goes to over 210 countries around the world, it's the most watched football product of any
nation, we've go a lot going for ourselves."
Dein, a former vice-chairman of the English FA, travelled to Brazil on Monday 22 November to meet with the committee's South American members.
Cameron to appear in presentation
On the day of the vote, Cameron will feature in England's 30-minute presentation to FIFA alongside Prince William and footballer David Beckham.
Votes will be cast after the rival bid teams of Russia, Spain/Portugal and Belgium/Netherlands make their presentations.
If no single bid lands more than 50 per cent of the votes, the bid with the least votes will be eliminated before the officials vote again for the remaining contenders.
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