England 2018 Releases Football United Video
Ahead of the all-important FIFA vote on Thursday the England 2018 bid team has released a star-studded video to showcase its bid legacy programme ‘Football United’.
David Beckham leads a cast of Premier League stars in describing England 2018’s proposals for a new global fund for football.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter has already praised the scheme highlighting the ‘legacy it would have for the world’, after he saw a version of the film on his visit with Prime Minister David Cameron at Downing Street in October.
In the video Beckham, 2018 bid vice-president, asks viewers to ‘imagine the kind of change we could create together’ as a result of the Football United fund concept.?
England captain Rio Ferdinand, Steven Gerrard, Michael Essien, Asamoah Gyan, Wilson Palacios and Alex all feature in the video.
The film cuts between grassroots football and coaching sessions in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean alongside Premier League clips.??
England 2018 Chief Executive, Andy Anson, said of the concept: ‘We want a World Cup in England to have the most impactful global legacy imaginable. We believe our ‘Football United’ proposals can benefit a generation of people around the world because we have all of English football behind it.’?
‘Football United will aim to match FIFA’s current annual investment in grassroots football and social development to reach one billion people and benefit each of FIFA’s 208 member associations in consultation with FIFA,’ he added.?
England 2018 has consulted other organisations over its plans for Football United such as the Football Foundation and Comic Relief.
Football Foundation Chief Executive Paul Thorogood said: ‘Having invested over £670m in grassroots football facilities and community projects in this country over the past decade, we know how effective football can be as a tool to help tackle major social issues. This is an exciting opportunity.’?
The decision for the host of the 2018 World Cup will be made by FIFA in Zurich on Thursday, 2nd December.
