A BEAUTIFUL SETTING FOR THE BEAUTIFUL GAME
The historic city of Plymouth is located in an area of outstanding natural beauty, with the Dartmoor National Park to the north, the natural harbour of Plymouth Sound to the south and the Plym and Tamar estuaries on either side.
Its rich history and maritime heritage combines the advantages of city-living with the benefits of having the countryside and coastline of Devon and Cornwall on its doorstep.
Plymouth is the largest city in the South West region and the 15th most populous city in England. It has the lowest ecological footprint of UK's top 60 cities and ambitious and robust planning for a new future is already under way.
A REGION THAT LOVES FOOTBALL
Football is the number one weekend pastime for the people of Plymouth. Since the Second World War, more than 14 million people have come through the gates at Home Park, the home of Plymouth Argyle Football Club.
Plymouth plans to host yearly regional and international residential football tournaments to develop participation in commonly under-served groups including women, young people, rural communities and disabled people.
The city has a track record of organising large-scale events including the annual British Firework Championships, Armed Forces Day and Half Marathon. It is also proud to host the Transat Race every four years.
Our bid will see the expansion of the current stadium to a 45,000-seater with the best standard of players' and spectators' facilities. In addition, it will provide a platform for the ambitious development of football in the region, uniting existing passions under the common goal of the World Cup opportunity.
AN AREA SPECIALISING IN TOURISM
Devon and Cornwall is the destination for over a quarter of all UK domestic tourism with over 13 million visiting the South West region in 2007.
People in this part of the world have a strong sense of belonging and roots that go deep into Devon and Cornwall's history of trade, maritime exploration and discovery. The City has always had a very special and unique connection to the world. For hundreds of years, people have sailed to and from Plymouth to every corner of the globe.
Our bid will use these unique connections to bring the world to Plymouth to enjoy the World Cup in a uniquely beautiful setting.
Turbo-charging regeneration and building on existing plans, our bid will deliver not only a new stadium but improved transportation, world-class sporting facilities and new and improved hotels - to leave a real, lasting legacy which builds on the strengths of the region in tourism and leisure in time for the 400th anniversary in 2020 of the sailing of the Mayflower for the New World.
A BEAUTIFUL SETTING FOR THE BEAUTIFUL GAME
For centuries, the region and its major city, Plymouth, have been one of the jewels in the crown of the English Countryside. No city can beat Plymouth's amazing location. Few can beat the parkland location of Home Park, home of Plymouth Argyle FC, set amidst a large urban green space in the heart of the city.
No city or region can combine together scenery, a long history of tourism and hospitality and a balance of traditional and modern quite like Plymouth and the South West.
This, together with our strong desire for meaningful community involvement, underpins the positioning of our bid as "Plymouth, the focal point of Devon and Cornwall". We want our bid to open up, reach out and embrace people and places throughout the region and the world and bring them into the football family.
You can pledge your support to England 2018 and Plymouth by backing the bid at:
http://www.england2018bid.com/support/register.aspx