March 22 – Ipswich Town today signed an agreement to be a training base for the World Cup if England’s bid to host the 2018 tournament is successful.
The club’s chief executive Simon Clegg put pen to paper today, confirming to football’s governing body FIFA Ipswich’s desire to be considered as an official training centre for one of the 32 competing nations.
The Football Association recently now invited individual bodies to state their case to be considered as an official training camp.
“While there would be many benefits to the club if the World Cup comes to Ipswich, there would be far greater implications for the local community,” said Clegg, who spent seven years working on London’s 2012 Olympic Games bid as the chief executive of the British Olympic Association.
“Ipswich would expect to host not only the players from a particular national team and their support staff, but also the huge travelling army of media and focus that follow them.
“All these people would require accommodation and meals in our local community from 10 days before the start of the competition until three days after their final training session.”
Clegg knows from his time with Britain on Australia’s Gold Coast in the build up to the 2000 Sydney Games that a successful bid would boost Ipswich and Suffolk’s economy.
He said: ”The benefit is not just restricted to the few weeks immediately before and during the World Cup.
“So I’d encourage everyone in Ipswich whether they are a Town fan or not to get behind England’s World Cup bid.”