FA Proposes Spend Limit For World Cup Bids

Alex Horne, the general secretary of the Football Association, has proposed that a spending limit for bids and earlier elimination rounds may improve the way World Cup hosts are chosen by world governing body FIFA.

England lost out in the race for the 2018 tournament after gathering only two of 22 first-preference votes with the FA subsequently vocal in its criticism of the bidding process.

Commented Horne: ‘I think the process could have sensible reform. For example, for nine bidders to go all the way to Zurich may not be strictly necessary.’

Horne, who became general secretary in May after a spell as temporary chief executive, admitted that he would have to examine why a bid that had received a joint-strongest rating in FIFA’s technical report had received such little backing.

A system that removed the least-favoured bidders at an early stage, as suggested by Horne, may have shortened an England 2018 campaign that lasted three years at a cost of £15m.

‘I think there are other ways of looking at the process, not just bidding one year at a time. There could be pre-elimination rounds or criteria,’ he added.

England 2018 chief executive Andy Anson has attacked the way football’s governing body FIFA selected hosts for 2018 and 2022, describing the executive committee who vote on the event’s hosts as ‘incredibly protective of this cushy nice life’.

The individual conduct of some members of the 22-man committee has also been questioned by England 2018 officials who claim they had been assured of backing that never materialised.

‘I think it is difficult in the aftermath of last week, with some of the conversations that the representatives of the bid were involved in, to trust in some individuals,’ reflected Horne.

‘People were specifically told things that didn’t come to light. If half a dozen people promised us a vote and we only got one then people lied to us.’

Sports Minister Hugh Robertson, one of a 30-man delegation campaigning in Zurich ahead of Thursday’s decision, revealed that eight executive committee members had indicated they intended to vote for England.