Lord Coe joins bid
England 2018 Ltd. has confirmed that Lord Sebastian Coe has accepted an invitation to become a non-executive Board member of the World Cup Bidding Company. Lord Coe will join the Board of the company which is aiming to win the right to stage the FIFA World Cup tournament in England for the first time since 1966.
Lord Coe led London’s successful bid to stage the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and is currently Chair of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG); a position he will continue to hold.
Announcing the appointment, England 2018 Ltd Chairman, Lord David Triesman said: "I firmly believe that making Lord Coe a member of our Executive Board significantly enhances our chances of success.
"Lord Coe is a highly regarded international sports ambassador who is not only passionate about football but also commands great respect in the global football community.
"His experiences in leading the successful London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic bid and generating a wealth of domestic and international support will be invaluable to us.
"He is also held in high esteem by the FIFA Football Family and this, coupled with his London 2012 success means he is a tremendous addition to the Board and to the 2018 team in general."
Lord Coe added: "I look forward to playing my part in our bid for the FIFA World Cup. I am passionate about football so am delighted to be standing alongside many other people and football greats up and down the country in bidding for this event.
"Winning the Football World Cup would be the hat trick in a golden era for sport in the UK following the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012 and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.
"I will continue my roles as Chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and Vice President of the IAAF but will be taking a temporary leave of absence from my position as Chairman of FIFA’s Ethics Committee.
"I would like to thank FIFA President Mr. Blatter for agreeing to this arrangement."