LONDON (AP) - England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup will focus on the development of soccer worldwide. England's Football Association met Thursday and fully approved the bid after studying a 63-page report on the estimated cost and proposed structure.
"The report recommends an approach focusing on the benefits that a World Cup in England would bring to the development of football around the world, and commits England to producing a World Cup legacy which enriches the opportunities for football to flourish in all parts of the world," an FA statement said.
"The board also approved a process for the selection of host cities for the World Cup and the budget for the bid."
Britain's Press Association said the bid was estimated at 15 million pounds (US$29.5 million; €18.8 million).
The FA will now set up a 100-percent owned subsidiary company to run the bid, with the structure based on the committee that won London the 2012 Olympics.
"This would be governed by an executive board made up of a bid chairman, a bid chief executive, the FA chairman Lord (David) Triesman and two deputy chairmen," the FA statement said.
The campaign would consist of three departments - looking after the technical bid, the bid campaign and government liaison - with all reporting to the bid chairman and chief executive. The bid team is expected to be assembled in six months' time.
England last hosted the World Cup in 1966 and went on to win the title for the only time.
England was also a successful host of the 1996 European Championship when it reached the semifinals, losing on penalty kicks to Germany. England has failed to get past the quarterfinals in any major tournament since and missed out on qualifying for this year's European Championship.
Likely candidates besides England include the United States, Mexico, Canada, Belgium and Netherlands as a joint bid, Spain, Russia, China, Japan and Australia. FIFA votes on the host nation in 2011.
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