- 0
20 September 2010
The statement below was released today by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, announcing that David Beckham will launch a football festival in Trinidad this weekend.
This highlights the influence of Beckham as a tool in the bid for England to win the right to stage the 2018 World Cup. A key Fifa power broker is Jack Warner of the T&T FF. Warner has one of the 24 votes on the Fifa Executive Committee that will decide in early December where the 2018 and 2022 events will be stage. He can influence the destinations of at least two other votes and maybe more.
.
T&T FF STATEMENT
David Beckham will launch a football festival in Trinidad this weekend run by his David Beckham Academy and will attend the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup final in Port of Spain.
Beckham will be fulfilling a long-standing personal commitment to Fifa vice-president and Concacaf president Jack Warner by taking his academy to the islands and provide football and life skills programmes as well as coaching workshops to almost 200 young players and coaches. The two discussed the proposed project at the Fifa World Cup 2010 final draw in Cape Town last December.
The six days of activity is being organised by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation and will take place on the two islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Beckham will kick off the week with a football festival at the Marvin Lee Stadium in Port of Spain on Sunday, 26 September.
Speaking about his forthcoming visit, Beckham said: “Trinidad and Tobago have produced some excellent players over the years and the islands are full of young people who love football. I am really looking forward to seeing the young girls and boys from all backgrounds and their coaches at my Academy.
“Encouraging young girls to play football has always been an important part of the thinking behind the Academy and it will be great to take this opportunity to also see some of the world’s best young women play in the Under-17 Final.”
The David Beckham Academy is an integral part of the England 2018/22 Fifa World Cup bid legacy plans. The two organisations have committed to delivering a bespoke football and life skills project in each Confederation each year until 2017 should the bid be successful.
This Trinidad project is intended to demonstrate how this global concept could work and continue English football’s track record of investing in football and social development around the world.
Beckham added: “I am extremely proud and committed to the David Beckham Academy. The proposal with England 2018/22 is an exciting one as football is such a great way to inspire and educate young people in so many ways.”
Fifa Vice President Jack Warner stated: “I would like to express my thanks to David and his team for arranging this. It is heartening to know that a man of such international stature remains committed to the development of talent worldwide. This is remarkable opportunity for the 200 participants. The fact that despite his busy schedule David has taken the time to open this festival, to share his knowledge with the children is testament to his character.”
Beckham is able to travel to Trinidad because of a break in his schedule with Major League Soccer team Los Angeles Galaxy.
An England 2018/22 delegation will also attend the Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup Final led by International President David Dein and Chief Executive Andy Anson.
.
Bidding for 2018 and 2022
England http://www.england2018bid.com/
Netherlands-Belgium http://www.thebid.org/?lang=en
Russia http://www.russia2018-2022.com/en.aspx
Spain-Portugal http://www.candidaturaiberica.com/
.
Bidding for 2022 only
Japan http://www.dream-2022.jp/en/index.html
Qatar http://www.qatar2022bid.com/
South Korea http://www.korea2022.org/
Australia http://www.australia2018-2022.com.au/
.
