Football: Major backs World Cup bid

The Prime Minister, John Major, has told the Football Association he would "strongly support" an FA attempt to bring the World Cup to England in 2006.

An FA delegation including the England coach, Glenn Hoddle, went to Downing Street yesterday for an hour-long meeting with Major to discuss the possibility of Government backing.

The FA will be holding further detailed talks with the Government within the next two weeks while a measure of the Prime Minister's support would be the staging of a special Downing Street reception ahead of next February's World Cup qualifier against Italy.

The FA chief executive, Graham Kelly, and Hoddle were accompanied at the meeting by Keith Wiseman, the FA chairman, and the director of public affairs, David Davies, while Major was joined inside Downing Street by the Sports Minister, Iain Sproat.

"The Prime Minister has indicated that he is very keen and will strongly support the bid in principle," Kelly said. "A meeting will be held between the FA and the Government within the next two weeks to talk more about the details."

The FA decided to launch a bid to bring the game's showpiece occasion back after a 40-year absence following the success of Euro 96.

The FA is unlikely to have a free run, with Germany having already stated their intention to bid to host the competition, last staged in that country in 1974. Africa, yet to host the World Cup, will also make a strong bid with South Africa the front-runners.

Liverpool are giving a trial to Rosenborg's 24-year-old Norwegian international full-back Bjorn Tore Kvarme.

Ipswich yesterday signed the Tottenham defender Jason Cundy in a pounds 200,000 deal. The deal is an initial pounds 200,000 down payment but with a further pounds 50,000 coming after 30 games and an extra pounds 50,000 if Ipswich win promotion this season.

Leicester's 18-year-old striker, Emile Heskey, has turned his back on a move to one of the Premiership clubs by signing a new deal which will keep him at Filbert Street until June 1999.

Dennis Bergkamp, Arsenal's Dutch international, has indicated he wants to commit the rest of his career to Arsenal and play out the "most important years of my career" at Highbury.