Thaindian News

Melbourne, Dec.10 (ANI): Australias hopes of hosting the 2018 World Cup have been boosted with the Federal Government announcing 45 million dollars in funding to help with the bid.
The unprecedented financial backing means Football Federation Australia has the resources to mount a serious bid, with governing body FIFA likely to make a decision in two years” time on who will host the 2018 and possibly 2022 World Cups.
Though Australia faces a huge challenge in seeing off other contenders such as England and the United States, the statement of intent behind the government backing is crucial to a winning strategy, reports the Daily Telegraph.
The decision to approve the federal spending has been months in the making, with football chiefs making a series of ventures to Canberra to present detailed modelling of the overall benefits in hosting a tournament of unparalleled size, way beyond the sport itself.
Sports Minister Kate Ellis and FFA chairman Frank Lowy will on Wednesday detail the process by which the money will be spent, but it is likely to include drawing up detailed plans for investment in infrastructure such as transport and hotels.
“The World Cup campaign is a separate project which is not taking funds from other sports. Hosting the World Cup would provide Australia a unique opportunity with great benefits to the wider community, not just the football fraternity … and bring significant economic benefit to Australia including boosts to tourism, infrastructure and jobs around the country,” the paper quoted Ellis, as saying.
Recent research by economist John Williams of the NSW Parliamentary Library estimated hosting the 2018 World Cup could contribute 5.4 billion dollars to the local economy.
The last World Cup, two years ago in Germany, was estimated to have brought some two million international visitors and given work to around 85,000 people. (ANI)