The Stadium was one of four chosen in the capital named by Lord Brian Mawhinney, the head of the England 2018 Host City selection panel, and announced at a press conference.

Wembley Stadium and the Emirates, the home of Arsenal, will definitely be used if England host the World Cup.

The Olympic Stadium is the preferred option of England 2018 for the third venue but they have also named Tottenham Hotspur's proposed new stadium as a back-up for the third spot.

The Olympic Stadium is due to be downsized to 25,000 from its 80,000 capacity after the Games due to fears that London cannot sustain another major arena, especially as it has been unable to attract a Premier League club as an anchor tenant.

Mawhinney said: "It will be so iconic we did not believe we should take it out of the equation at this point - FIFA will have much more information in 2013 [the final selection date for the host stadiums for the 2018 World Cup] than we have today.

"There is a debate going on about its future, but we aren't in charge of that debate."

Sebastian Coe, the chairman of London 2012 and a member of the England 2018 bid team, insists that the legacy use of the stadium will be chiefly athletics, with the Games capacity of 80,000 being scaled back to around 25,000 seats.
 
In July Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell ruled out the Olympic Stadium being used for the 2018 World Cup, however the newly-formed Olympic Park Legacy Company (OPLC), set-up by London City Hall and the Government and responsible for planning post-Games use of the venues, has not ruled out the idea of it being retained at its larger capacity. 
 
The search, however, is still on to find an anchor tenant for the Stadium with Tottenham having already ruled it out and decided to pursue their own plans.
 
West Ham United had several discussions with London 2012 about moving into the Stadium after the Games but insisted that the track should be ripped up.
 
England 2018 are understood to be prepared for a running track to remain but the OPLC are under pressure to find a tenant to help pay for the maintenance and security of sites after the Games.
 
Keeping the Stadium as an 80,000-seat arena between 2012 and 2018 could cost the taxpayer up to £30 million a year in annual running costs if someone is not willing to take it over.
 
Other possible uses for the stadium that have been put forward have included as a venue for the 2015 Rugby World Cup - which England have already been awarded - and a home for Twenty20 cricket.

For more details on England's 2018 World Cup plans click here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected] 


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