By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
August 31 – Being chosen to host the 2018 World Cup would cap a perfect year for Spain, the country’s Sports Minister Jamie Lissavetzky admitted today as its joint bid with Portugal rolled out Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo to help give it a boost.
August 31 – AT&T today signed-up as a sponsor of the United States bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.
August 30 – A delegation of FIFA inspectors, led by Harold Mayne-Nicholls, arrived in Madrid today on the last leg of their European tour of bidders to host the 2018/2022 World Cup.
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August 30 – Details of the cities and venues the FIFA inspection team will visit when they arrive in the United States next week to evaluate the country’s bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup have been revealed today.
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August 30 – Qatar National Bank (QNB) has today been named the Official Bank of the Qatar 2022 bid to host the World Cup.
August 29 – Only full-time professional referees should be used at the next World Cup, in Brazil in 2014, FIFA President Sepp Blatter claimed today.
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August 28 – James Bond star Daniel Craig has become the two millionth supporter of England’s bid to hold the 2018 World Cup, they announced today.
By Andrew Warshaw in Manchester
August 26 - Andy Anson (pictured), the chief executive of England’s 2018 World Cup bid team says the last three months of lobbying will be even more important than the four-day visit just conducted by FIFA’s technical inspection team.
By Andrew Warshaw in Manchester
August 26 – England’s hopes of staging the 2018 World Cup were given a huge boost today when the head of FIFA’s six-man technical inspection team gave a glowing endorsement of the country’s facilities.
August 25 – All nine nations bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups have confirmed their attendance at Leaders in Football, the world’s most exclusive football business event, taking place for the third time at Chelsea Football Club on October 6 and 7.
By Andrew Warshaw
August 25 – Manchester United greats of past and present gave FIFA’s 2018 World Cup inspectors an insider’s view of Old Trafford today as Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney, Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Alex Ferguson took them on a tour of the famous ground.
By Andrew Warshaw in London
August 24 - FIFA’s 2018 World Cup inspection team headed north today as Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson became the latest figure to pledge his support to the England bid.
By Andrew Warshaw in London
August 23 – Arsenal’s international Russian striker Andrei Arshavin has hit back at claims by Sports Minister Hugh Robertson that the Eastern European country is lagging behind England for the right to stage the 2018 World Cup.
By Andrew Warshaw in London
August 23 – British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg laid down the gauntlet to England’s 2018 World Cup rivals today by describing the English bid as “unbeatable” in his welcoming address to the FIFA inspection team.
By Andrew Warshaw in London
August 23 – Sports Minister Hugh Robertson insists England have by far the strongest case for staging the 2018 World Cup and says the absence of Prime Minister David Cameron during the all-important FIFA technical visit will have no negative impact on the country’s chances.