ENGLAND is applying to host the World Cup in 2018 and Sheffield has been designated as an applicent host city by the Football Association.
16 cities containing up to 22 stadia, have registered their interest across the country. There will be whittled down to between 12 and 18 arenas.
The 16 cities are - Birmingham. Bristol. Derby. Hull. Leeds. Leicester. Liverpool. London. Manchester. Milton Keynes. Portsmouth. Plymouth. Sunderland and SHEFFIELD.
Sheffield is steeped in fooball history, being the home of football. Sheffield Wednesday Hillsborough stadium was used in the 1966 World Cup, and was a regular venue for F.A. cup semi finals.
Hillsborough is under going a £22000 redevelopment programme which will also incude community facilities. A new learning zone will be built into the West Stand that sports a glazed frontage in the stand for the facilities to overlook the pitch. Behind the North stand a four story multi purpose community building housing the largest classroom in Europe is being developed. The new areas of the stadium is with creating inclusive areas for local schools.
The stadium's capacity will be increased to 45000 all seater stadium with no restricted viewing, So every part of the pitch can be seen from any seat in the ground.
Just across the road from the stadium is Hillsborough Park which is to be incororated as part of the stadium and utilsing the space as a huge fan zone as well as adding extra space for increased media presence and other requirements of the World cup proposals.
Sheffield is within easy access from the M1 motorway and is less than 2hr 15 mins on the Train from London St Pancrass. Hillsborough is ideally situated around 4 or 5 miles from the city centre and is well served from all areas of the city by superb tram system. Trams run to hillsborough from the Railway station and the city centre every 10 mins, and there is a frequent bus service from the bus station. Unlike city centre grounds which have a disadavantage for lack of parking and over crowding due to shoppers and football fans in the same area, Hillsborough is situated on the outskirts of the city with plenty of open spaces around the stadium, and is only 5 mins from the city centre.
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