England could bid to stage 2018 World Cup, Brown says

Jan 20, 2007, 19:10 GMT

London - Gordon Brown, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and possible future British Prime Minister, has thrown his weight behind a bid to host the 2018 World Cup in England.

Brown told the BBC that it would end a 'magnificent sporting decade' if the World Cup was to come to England, six years after the 2012 Olympic Games are staged in London.

The World Cup has been staged in England only once before, in 1966, when they won the competition for the first and only time to date.

Speaking on a trip in India, Brown said: 'It will be great, (just over) 50 years after we had it before.

'It's the right time for England to have it.

'It means that we would have had the most magnificent sporting decade... the 2012 Olympics, (and) the World Cup 2018.'

Brown got himself in a bit of hot water when he said that he would like England to win, ahead of his native Scotland.

'I think the host,' he said, in response to a question as to who he would like to see win.

That prompted a quizzical response from the interviewer, after which Brown added: 'Well, of course, I want Scotland to do well, but let's just see how it all works out.'

Brown's comments were heavily criticised by members of the Scottish Nationalist Party, after which Brown issued a hasty clarification of his comments.

'My ideal scenario is that England meets Scotland in the World Cup final, and Scotland win the World Cup,' he said.

'However, if Scotland didn't qualify or went out of the tournament before England, then I would transfer my allegiance to the other home nation, England.'

Canada, Australia and Mexico have already expressed their interest in staging the 2018 World Cup.