Chairman of the FA, Lord Triesman, will head the bid to host the 2018 World Cup. The executive board will also include Manchester United chairman David Gill, and the Football League chairman Brian Mawhinney.

The Minister For Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe, will represent the government, and there will also be three non-executive directors, namely Keith Mills, Valerie Amos and Martin Sorrell.

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.''

Triesman warned that it will not be an easy task. "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 football family will have views about what produces a great World Cup and we will be listening and learning. If we have the honor of succeeding it will be because we earned the right from the members of our international family.''