Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says England deserve to host the 2018 World Cup.
The Frenchman has thrown his full support behind England's bid and wrote in a column for the Daily Mail: "I hope England will host the 2018 World Cup. England deserves it. Not since 1966 has this country staged the tournament and I don't think that is right. This is where football started - the English are the creators, the architects, of the game.
"As I've highlighted before, other countries have been more fortunate. Germany, for instance, has hosted the World Cup twice since 1966. But, as I hope the FIFA inspection team discover while they are here this week, this country would stage a fantastic World Cup.
"I came to England in 1996 and I love the passion for football in this country. I love the supporters, the way the game is played, the way it is such an important part of the English culture.
"Nowhere else in the world can you travel into the centre of a town or city and find the football stadium squeezed between the streets where people live their lives, only to then put them on hold on a Saturday to watch their team play.
"For instance, when the FIFA delegation arrive in Newcastle this week, I hope they are stunned by the sight of St James' Park. By the way it dominates the skyline, a sporting citadel and the heartbeat of the city. In a city that breathes football.
"There, they have a love of the game that is remarkable and this is true in many other regions across the country, such as Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London.
"If you have the infrastructure, the stadiums, the passion and the power to organise, then these are the attributes for a successful World Cup. England can deliver all of these things."
