FA Hires Former Fifa Execs For 2018 Bid

The FA has appointed a consultancy firm headed by former FIFA executives Peter Hargitay and Markus Siegler to assist with England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup.

European Consultancy Network Ltd has been hired by The FA as the first external appointment on the 2018 World Cup bid as the governing body looks to expand its international experience.

ECN is headed by Hargitay, special adviser to FIFA president Sepp Blatter since 2002, and Siegler, FIFA’s former communications director.

Hargitay will terminate his consulting work for FIFA next month in order to avoid any conflict of interest, while Siegler left FIFA after 12 years in October of this year to join ECN.

The total ECN team assigned to The FA numbers four consultants and senior consultants, who will act as strategic campaign advisers to The FA.