15 Jun 2009Portsmouth looking to become World Cup hosting venue

Football Clubs News | Football Technology and Stadia

Portsmouth City Council is to make a bid to become one of the hosting cities if England is successful with its bid to stage the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

City leaders have met up with Portsmouth's football club to try and kickstart plans to ensure that the team's home is one chosen by FIFA as a hosting venue.

FIFA would be on the lookout for 12 stadiums which fit the criteria of holding a minimum of 40,000 seats, with part of the bid dependent on the club building a new stadium.

Portsmouth currently play at Fratton Park, which has a capacity of just over 20,000.

Council chief executive David Williams said: "The football World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world and represents a huge, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Portsmouth.

"Portsmouth's bid for host city status is proof of the city's aspirations to establish itself as a truly international city."

Among the stadiums in the UK which currently hold more than 40,000 supporters are Old Trafford and Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.

Meanwhile, other countries including Indonesia, Mexico and Russia have submitted bids to try and host either the World Cup in 2018 or 2022.

Written by Craig Kemp

© Copyright