England launches bid to host the soccer World Cup.

Prince William and David Beckham help launch England's World Cup bid.

SHOTLIST: LONDON, UK (MAY 18, 2009) (PITCH VNR - ACCESS ALL)

1. RECEPTION AT WEMBLEY STADIUM

2. BOBBY CHARLTON TALKING TO SEBASTIAN COE

3. FORMER ENGLAND PLAYER GEOFF HURST

4. PRESS

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRINCE WILLIAM, PRESIDENT OF THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION, SAYING:

"It is my great honour to speak today on behalf of England's World Cup bid. England's love for the game is world renowned, football is in our blood. I believe that with England's great passion for the game we will stage a World Cup to remember forever, a first class festival of football. As a nation we are proud of our great cultural diversity, we will offer a warm home from home welcome to all the participating teams and their supporters.

"From personal experience I know the difference that sport, and football in particular, can achieve. It has been an honour as president of the English football association to witness the work that they do, in particular with disadvantaged children up and down this country. I've seen the enormous power for good that football has, it gives the children confidence, promotes a healthy lifestyle and gives them a set of values to live by.

"If, as I hope, our bid proves successful, I know that we will deliver a footballing legacy that will reach beyond our small islands. As a nation we are united behind the bid, speaking personally, I am very proud to be supporting it."

6. PAN FROM SCREEN INSIDE STADIUM TO INFLATABLE BALL ON WEMBLEY PITCH

7. PRIME MINISTER GORDON BROWN

8. ENGLAND PLAYERS DAVID BECKHAM AND WAYNE ROONEY WALKING DOWN STEPS

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) GORDON BROWN, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, SAYING:

"Because it's great news for the whole country, not only exciting millions of football fans but great for our economy, getting jobs, getting tournaments that will take place in all the different regions and cities of the country. We had the World Cup in 1966, it's time it was back. We are the home of football, we've got a great national stadium, we've got some of the greatest players playing here in the world and I think people look to England as the home of football, as the basis for the future of football, so to have the World Cup back here is the right thing to do."

10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LORD TRIESMAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION, SAYING:

"I look forward to the whole of this bid process and I look forward to the event if we're lucky enough to win it, I don't think there can be anything better. If one thinks of the great sporting occasions that we will see in England if we win this World Cup bid, from the Olympic Games through other sports to the FIFA World Cup, that's the summit, that's the top of Everest in sporting terms for me."

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID BECKHAM, ENGLAND PLAYER, SAYING:

"I think what people realise in our country is that football is so huge and the fanbase is so huge, not just obviously from club football but internationally. Our fans travel everywhere, all over the world, and have always been in my eyes and in many peoples eyes the best travelled fans and also the support that they give us is huge. So to have a big competition like the World Cup here is so inspiring for youngsters, you see the effect of what Wimbledon does, you see the effect of what the Rugby World Cup does and the Cricket World Cup and things like that, so to have a huge competition like the World Cup, the biggest football competition in the world, in our country is inspiring for young kids."

12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) BOBBY CHARLTON, FORMER ENGLAND PLAYER, SAYING:

"I think it will be fantastic. I think it's overdue you know, when you think of others that have had it, some of them have had it before we did. For example Germany, in 1966 we played Germany and they've had it in 2006 and I think it's our turn next."

13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANDY ANSON, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF ENGLAND'S WORLD CUP BID, SAYING:

"I think firstly the passion for football in England is tremendous and to be able to tap into the fact that millions of people in England watch and play football every weekend is something that a World Cup can really do, but also there are strong economic reasons, there are real economic benefits of holding the World Cup in England, and also to stimulate the grass-roots of the game. There's a number of reasons why we think we should be doing it and it's the most exciting thing you can possibly imagine to bring the World Cup to England in 2018."

14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) GEOFF HURST, FORMER ENGLAND PLAYER, SAYING:

"It's absolutely unbelievable to participate in for England one of the great competitions in any sport at Wembley and in England at the time. I think from a playing point of view you're not always quite aware, in many respects, the magnitude of the occasion. I think people who really soak up the occasion and the atmosphere in the country and all over the world are the people who actually watch it."

15. BECKHAM AND ROONEY POSING WITH SCARVES

STORY: David Beckham said on Monday (May 18) that being part of the bidding team that brought the World Cup to England for the first time in more than 50 years would be as big a success as all the medals he had won in his career.

England launched its bid to stage the 2018 World Cup finals with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and Beckham among the speakers at Wembley Stadium where England won the World Cup when it staged the tournament for the only time in 1966.

Beckham, who has won 109 caps for England and is a bid vice-president, said that holding the World Cup would encourage youngsters throughout the country to play the game.

"To have a big competition like the World Cup here is so inspiring for youngsters, you see the effect of what Wimbledon does, you see the effect of what the Rugby World Cup does and the Cricket World Cup and things like that, so to have a huge competition like the World Cup, the biggest football competition in the world, in our country is inspiring for young kids."

The Prime Minister said the British Government supported the bid, which, if successful, could be part of an unprecedented decade of sport for Britain.

London is hosting the 2012 Olympics, Glasgow the 2014 Commonwealth Games and England is hosting the 2019 Cricket World Cup and bidding for the 2015 Rugby Union World Cup.

"We had the World Cup in 1966, it's time it was back. We are the home of football, we've got a great national stadium, we've got some of the greatest players playing here in the world and I think people look to England as the home of football, as the basis for the future of football, so to have the World Cup back here is the right thing to do," Brown said.

His views were endorsed by leaders of the opposition parties on videotape and by Prince William, the President of the FA, in a recorded message, who promised a great welcome to teams and fans alike.

"I believe that with England's great passion for the game we will stage a World Cup to remember forever, a first class festival of football. As a nation we are proud of our great cultural diversity, we will offer a warm home from home welcome to all the participating teams and their supporters," he said.

Fifteen cities are aiming to earn the right to stage matches including soccer outposts such as Hull, Bristol and Milton Keynes as well as traditional strongholds including Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sunderland.

Wembley Stadium would stage the opening match and the final with Old Trafford, Arsenal's Emirates Stadium and Villa Park also on the list of venues.

Twickenham, the home of rugby union and the only other stadium in the country besides Wembley with an 80,000-plus capacity, is also being considered.

FIFA will decide the host nation in December 2010 with the other candidates being Russia, Netherlands & Belgium, Spain & Portugal, Mexico, Indonesia, the United States, Australia and Japan. At the same time, they will announce the hosts of the 2022 World Cup, which could come to England if FIFA decide to award 2018 to a non-European venue.

South Africa are staging the event next year with Brazil hosting it in 2014.