Russia win World Cup 2018 bid

England’s roller-coaster campaign to host the 2018 World Cup ended in defeat in Zurich today.

FIFA’s executive committee voted to give the tournament to Russia ahead of England, Spain/Portugal and Holland/Belgium.

Their success was confirmed by FIFA president Sepp Blatter after a 22-member bid vote by the governing body’s executive committee.

Handed the World Cup by Blatter, Russian deputy prime minister Igor Shuvalov celebrated, saying: “You have entrusted us with the Fifa World Cup for 2018 and I can promise, we all can promise, you will never regret it.

“Let us make history together.”

Joint bids by Spain and Portugal and Holland and Belgium also lost out.

Sources close to the English bid said England did not even make it to the final round of voting.

Russia will therefore host the competition for the first time in their history.

England looked to have suffered from a backlash against corruption investigations into FIFA members by BBC 'Panorama' and the Sunday Times over the last two months.

These investigations were criticised both by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin yesterday and Spain/Portugal bid president Angel Villar Llona in his presentation to fellow FIFA members today.

Boris Johnson, who chairs London United, the group responsible for co-ordinating the capital's bid, said the result was “tremendously disappointing”.

“We put together a cracking bid, our technical specification was top notch and our stadiums would have been packed to the rafters.

“Londoners love football. This is a blow but we have achieved a great deal with this bid and we have much to look ahead to.”

He added: “We remain 100%-focused on developing London as the most exciting sporting destination in the world, and we have a lot to offer other countries, from putting together our bid and from planning the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“We will carry on providing a strong voice in football and world sport.”

Congratulating Russia, the winners of the 2018 host city bid, the mayor told Londoners to be proud of England’s campaign.

He said: “The international exposure we’ve had through the bid process is incredible and we have shown that England’s wonderfully diverse and open cities are ripe for hosting the very best sporting events from all corners of the world.

“This has been a bid to be proud of and, whilst of course we congratulate Russia, we can look ahead to hosting the Uefa Champions League Final next year and the Olympics in 2012, the first time since 1948.”