Sunderland spells out bid to be World Cup host
Sep 10 2009 by Adam Jupp, The Journal
SUNDERLAND showed-off its credentials as a World Cup host city yesterday.
A delegation of Football Association officials were on Wearside yesterday for their final inspection visit before a decision is made on which cities will form part of England’s bid to FIFA to host the 2018 football World Cup.
The delegates were met by the Sunderland bid team, headed up by bid champion Steve Cram, Sunderland AFC chief executive Steve Walton, chairman of the Leighton Group Paul Callaghan and representatives from Sunderland City Council and the football club.
After an early-morning presentation outlining all aspects of the bid, the team divided into three groups and spent the day visiting a variety of venues and locations across the North East.
Sunderland’s bid includes facilities across the whole of the North East and the inspectors saw how venues throughout the region would be used for the tournament.
The group visited Sunderland’s Stadium of Light, which would host games, and the Academy of Light, which would be one of four of the training bases for visiting teams. They also viewed a wide range of hotels throughout the city and met with representatives from Middlesbrough Football Club, who showcased Rockliffe Hall and Rockliffe Park as a potential team training and base camp, along with senior officials from Slaley Hall, which has previously been used as a training base for the England squad.
Officials enjoyed lunch with a regional flavour, sampling locally-produced food, including seafood from Seahouses, beef from Northumberland, cheese from Durham, organic fruit and vegetables from across the North East and ice cream and gourmet desserts from Darlington, as well as soft drinks from Stockton.
