The Football Association has confirmed Manchester United chief executive David Gill and Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney will both be on Lord Triesman's England 2018 World Cup Limited executive board.
With world governing body FIFA expected to announce the timetable and bidding process to host the 2018 World Cup this month, the FA are fine-tuning the structure of their dedicated board. As voices from within football, Gill and Mawhinney have been earmarked as Triesman's deputy chairmen on the board, with Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe the Government representative.
The recruitment process for the England 2018 chief executive and chief operating officer is ongoing, the FA report, and those appointments will also sit on the executive board. The Prime Minister's ambassador and former Minister for Sport Richard Caborn will provide support for the new board, after accepting an invitation to join strategic meetings, but will not hold voting rights.
As predicted, Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has not been included on the board, a move which was attacked by both Mohamed Bin Hammam - president of the Asian Football Confederation - and Fifa vice-president Jack Warner.
Lord Triesman said: "I am delighted we have established an outstanding team of board members who are committed to bringing the World Cup finals back to England. Within this group, there is a wealth of experience that will be integral to the formulation of a successful bid."
He warned, though, there is much hard work to be done. "England has to earn the right to stage the 2018 Fifa World Cup," he said. "Over the coming months, we will have to show we can do so to the highest standards and with the right values. People around the world will have views about what produces a great World Cup - and we will be listening and learning."
