Prince William to spearhead England World Cup bid

Prince William will spearhead the final stage of England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup, the British royal’s office formally confirmed Wednesday.

The Prince, president of the Football Association, will form part of a high-powered English delegation which includes Prime Minister David Cameron and football stars such as David Beckham and Gary Lineker.

Prince William will spend his time privately meeting FIFA voters ahead of the vote in Zurich on December 2.

Confirmation of William’s participation came as England 2018 board member Sebastian Coe urged the country’s delegates to mount a charm offensive in the final week before voting.

Speaking at an event in London, Coe said the 2018 team needed to deluge FIFA members with positive messages about England’s bid to minimise the impact of a BBC documentary to be aired next week which is expected to pore over corruption allegations involving FIFA officials.

“You have to focus absolutely on the job at hand,” Coe said. “(Outside) noises are not what is going to get you across the line. They’re not going to stop you getting across the line.

“It is really a very important discipline in the process of a bid to just simply focus on the messages.

“You deliver those messages right to the moment where there is nowhere else to go and you maintain clear heads,” added Coe, who masterminded London’s stunning victory to host the 2012 Olympic Games defeating favourites Paris.

England faces stiff competition from Russia as well as joint bids from Spain and Portugal and Holland and Belgium at next Thursday’s vote.