City hopes to score with FIFA inspectors

A TEAM from football’s world governing body FIFA were running the rule over facilities in Manchester today.

The six-strong technical delegation will be met by city chiefs including Sir Howard Bernstein and senior officials from Manchester City and Manchester United.

At Old Trafford Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Charlton, who will lead a tour of the facilities.

At the City of Manchester Stadium, the FIFA team, which is led by Chilean Harold Mayne-Nicholls, will meet Howard Webb, who refereed this year’s World Cup final.

Winning the bid to host the 2018 event will boost the UK economy by more than £3.2bn, according to analysis by business advisers PricewaterhouseCoopers. Manchester City Council believes at least £150m would come in to the city alone.

Manchester and Liverpool will be host cities if England – which is one of the leading candidates – is chosen by FIFA in December.