World Cup 2010: Lucas Radebe joins David Beckham to promote 2018 bid

By Paul Kelso
Published: 7:24PM BST 09 Jun 2010.

Glad handling: David Beckham, seen here handing England's bid book to Fifa president Sepp Blatter, is becoming increasingly accomplished in his role as bid ambassadorPhoto: Reuters

England and the eight other bids competing for the 2018 and 2022 competitions will present to representatives of 208 national football associations at a "bidders expo" during the Fifa Congress in Sandton.

The bids will not be making formal presentations to members but will host stands at which they delegates can discuss their offers. The presence of Beckham and Radebe, an icon of post-apartheid South African football, should ensure that England have plenty of visitors.

Bid chief executive Andy Anson, international president David Dein and bid chairman Geoff Thompson, a Fifa executive committee member, will also be present.

The expo comes after England made a well-received presentation on Tuesday to the Concacaf federation members, led by Fifa vice-president Jack Warner.

England are hopeful that they can use the Word Cup to erase any lingering damage caused by last month's Lord Triesman affair, in which the former head of the bid team was caught out making allegations of corruption regarding the Spanish and Russian football authorities.

As anticipated it is increasingly certain that England will be competing only with European rivals for 2018. On Wednesday Asian Football Confederation chief Mohammad Bin Hammam reveladed his support for a Europe-only contest in 2018.

"It will be an open bid and everybody is free to support anyone, but our support is for Europe when it comes to 2018. The mood inside the Fifa executive committee is that Europe should host the 2018 version."