England lose to Russia as promised votes go missing

Russia won the vote by FIFA's 22-man executive committee in Zurich leaving England battered, baffled, and complaining of broken promises.

FIFA released the voting figures which showed England won just a single vote apart from that of Britain's FIFA vice-president Geoff Thompson.

In the first round even the expected 'whipping boys' Holland/Belgium secured four, Spain/Portugal seven and Russia nine.

Russia, who now have a huge stadium building project on their hands, then won an outright majority in the second round of voting.

In the 2022 contest, Qatar beat the USA in the final round of voting – another controversial decision in favour of a desert country half the size of Wales, with no stadia and where June temperatures can top 50 deg C.

Thompson said: "I cannot believe what has happened, and I am naturally very, very disappointed. The votes that were promised clearly didn't materialise.

"I never imagined we would go out in the first round."

Bid chief executive Andy Anson echoed Thompson's views as he said: "Some of (our votes) didn't materialise, I don't know which ones.

"It would be nice to know because, when people look you in the eye and promise you something, you tend to hope they live up to their word, but clearly that's not happened."

Asked if members had "looked him in the eye and lied", Anson said: "I am not going to name names because that is not fair on individuals but clearly some people did – we thought we had seven or eight votes."

FIFA's decision stunned the England bid team who had allowed themselves to become hopeful that the quality of the bid and the lobbying by Prince William, Prime Minister David Cameron and David Beckham had put themselves in a promising position.

England 2018 leaders last month said that the bid had been damaged by a backlash against corruption investigations into FIFA members by BBC's Panorama and the Sunday Times, a view backed up by London's Mayor Boris Johnson.

He said: "Clearly there was a feeling in the England 2018 team that all the furore and all the hoo-hah in the media damaged our chances. It's very hard to draw any other conclusion after not progressing beyond the first round.

Johnson added pointedly: "FIFA can't last in its current form."

Beckham, however, said he hoped the suggestions about the anti-England backlash over the media were wrong.

The England midfielder said: "I've heard the rumours that we lost due to the British press. I hope that isn't the reason. I believe in a free press and they are incredibly supportive of the game I love."

Questions are sure to be asked how England 2018 performed so badly – even in the failed 2006 bid they managed five first-round votes.

Lord Mawhinney, the former Football League chairman and bid vice-chairman, hinted that the FIFA process needs looking at.

"Questions do emerge," said Mawhinney. "There's a temptation to say all sorts of things, but not tonight. It seems to be a legitimate question if the process should be different next time."

Premier League chairman Richard Scudamore said the very fact England had so many top-class stadia already in place appeared to have counted against them.

Scudamore said: "Taking the World Cup to two new territories and, in Qatar's case, mentioning Arab countries – that was the driver.

"They have decided to take the World Cup to developing areas.

"What's gone against us is not having to build 20 new stadia. It almost feels as if we are on standby for when somebody can't host it.

"That's all very well – but on that basis we will never get it."

The disappointment was felt in Yorkshire, where the local bid teams who had lobbied successfully for Sheffield's Hillsborough and Leeds's Elland Road to be used, gathered to await the vote.

Had England won the right to host the World Cup, the county would have netted up to 300m in revenue from hosting group matches.