Hull is one of 16 cities and towns hoping to be chosen if England's bid to host the World Cup for the first time since 1966 is successful.

They today became one of the first to submit their preliminary bid to England 2018 Ltd at Wembley Stadium at a special ceremony attended by Hull City mascot Rory the Tiger was on hand at Hull Station to send off the bid book on its journey to London courtesy of First Hull Trains.

Vero was set-up by Lee after he was one of the key figures in London's successful bid to host the 2012 Olympics and has since become one of the most successful international communications and marketing companies in Britain.

It recently masterminded the campaign which saw rugby sevens put forward by the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) ruling Executive Board to be accepted for inclusion in the 2016 Games.

Vero is also working closely with Rio de Janeiro on its bid to host the 2016 Olympics, helping it establish itself as the favourite alongside Chicago to stage the Games.

The IOC is due to announce the winner at its Session in Copenhagen on October 2 and, if Rio is successful, it will be the first city in South American to host the Olympics.

Hull will be hoping that Vero and Lee, who has also previously worked for the Premier League and European football governing body UEFA, can help them overcome its underdog status to be chosen as a potential host city for 2018.

It faces strong opposition from England's biggest cities and towns, including Birmingham, Bristol, Derby, Hull, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth Portsmouth, Sheffield and Sunderland.

Up to 12 stadium are expected to be chosen.

A spokesman for Vero told insidethegames: "We're delighted to have been appointed by Hull in its bid to become a 2018 World Cup host city.

"The city has got some exciting plans centred around the KC Stadium, the waterfront and fan parks.

"This is the message we will be communicating."

Hull, which is located in the East Riding of Yorkshire, has a population of 257,000, making it the 41st biggest city or town in England.
Last month the bid team outlined to England 2018 officials how they planned to extend the KC Stadium (pictured) to 44,000 from its current capacity of 25,404 with a mixture of permanent and temporary seating.

The £44 million Kingston Communications Stadium, often shortened to KC Stadium or just the KC, was completed in 2002 and is the home ground of Hull City, who were promoted to the Premier League at the end of the 2007-2008 season and defied the odds last season to survive, and rugby league club Hull FC.



The stadium has hosted several England Under-21s games, including in 2004 when a crowd of 25,280 watched the side play Holland.

The KC Stadium is now also a regular venue for international rugby league games, and has hosted British matches in both the Tri-Nations and the Ashes competitions.

As well as the plans for the KC, the preliminary bid document sent today also includes details of potential fan park locations at Queens Gardens, East Park and Costello Park, through to accommodation and transport plans as well as innovative use of the City’s maritime heritage and position.

Hull is famous through it celebrated 18th century Member of Parliament, William Wilberforce, when the city was the backdrop to events leading to the abolition of the slave trade in Britain.

The city's port served as a base for Edward I during the First War of Scottish Independence and later developed into the foremost port on the East Coast of England.

It prospered by exporting wool and woollen cloth and importing wine before becoming a major centre for first whaling and then deep-sea fishing.

Paul Duffen, the chairman of Hull City, said: “The Kingston Communications Stadium – in its 91 acre parkland setting – has a special place in binding our community and its people together, and encapsulates so well the spirit of our city.

"The Stadium was designed with expansion in mind and we can increase our current capacity from 25,500 to around 34,000 by adding a second tier to the existing east stand and additional seating capacity to the north and south stands.

"As our plans show, we can then seamlessly increase capacity to 45,000 with temporary seating to meet FIFA requirements.

"The fact that the stadium lies in such a large parkland setting all under the control of the City Council and Stadium Management Company means that we can deliver whatever overlays and technical requirements England 2018 and FIFA demand at minimal risk."

John Holmes, the chairman of the Hull bid Steering Group and chief executive of Hull Forward said: "This is a major milestone for the city and the region in our dream to become a host city if England is awarded the FIFA World Cup.

"Hull is an up and coming city of great traditions and new ambitions, proud of its rich history and maritime past, now embracing renewal and regeneration at great speed.

"Our rapidly evolving waterfront is already the setting for major new developments including new hotels, the UK’s first operational World Trade Centre and buzzing social scene and this transformation will continue at pace over the coming years.

"This mix of a waterside setting, well connected parks, and the KC Stadium lying less than two kilometres from the city’s marina, would define Hull’s World Cup hosting experience in 2018 or 2022.”

Nick Barmby, the Hull City and former England midfielder, said: “Being born and bred in Hull, I know what football means to the city and the region.

"We have such a strong sense of pride and community and I know we would welcome the world with open arms.

"Everyone is behind the bid and really excited - it would be amazing, there’s no other word for it.”

England 2018 Ltd is due to make a decision on which cities or towns will be chosen in December.