England officials say they believe they could deliver the most “commercially successful” 2018 World Cup.

England is competing with a number of countries, including Spain-Portugal, Russia, US and Netherlands-Belgium, to host the global football tournament. Its bid team is at Soccerex in South Africa ahead of Friday’s 2010 cup draw. “We would be the most commercially successful World Cup that Fifa could ever ask for,” said England 2018 chief executive Andy Anson. “The English football market is the probably the most mature commercial market in existence.” He said the evidence could be seen in the continuing large television revenues English football was securing and in its large commercial deals, such as the recent sponsorship contract signed by Liverpool with Standard Chartered Bank.