A spoof bid to host the football World Cup in 2026 has been launched by non-league club Macclesfield Town.
The club, nicknamed the Silkmen, predicted the Cheshire town could provide the tournament at "a total cost of £249.99" ($382.30) following Fifa's current woes with corruption claims.
The bid boasts a 6,335-capacity stadium for the opening ceremony, an average June temperature at "a whopping 14.1°C" and free Wi-Fi in the local library.
Fifa is due to select the host nation for the 2026 tournament in 2017. Canada, Mexico and Colombia are interested in bidding for the tournament. England's FA said in March that England may also consider bidding for the tournament if Blatter steps down as FIFA President, which he did on Tuesday.
The Macclesfield bid proposes to host matches at various playing fields across the town, the biggest of which has a capacity for "200 people and 14 dogs".
Macclesfield Town in spoof bid for World Cup 2026
BBC News
3 June 2015
Macclesfield Town said the tournament would cost £249.99
A spoof bid to host the football World Cup in 2026 has been launched by non-league club Macclesfield Town.
It predicted the Cheshire town could provide the tournament at "a total cost of £249.99" ($382.30) following Fifa's current woes with corruption claims.
The bid boasts a 6,335-capacity stadium for the opening ceremony, an average June temperature at "a whopping 14.1°C" and free Wi-Fi in the local library.
Fifa is due to select the host nation for the 2026 tournament in 2017.
The Macclesfield bid proposes to host matches at various playing fields across the town, the biggest of which has a capacity for "200 people and 14 dogs".
'More credible than Qatar'
Macclesfield Town's bid boasts a 6,335-capacity stadium (Moss Rose, above) for the opening ceremony, an average June temperature at "a whopping 14.1°C" and free Wi-Fi in the local library
Training pitches would be available for participating nations but organisers stressed each association must ensure they are "clear of dog foul prior to the start of each session".
"According to Trip Advisor there are up to six hotels in Macclesfield, as well as 16 B&Bs. More than adequate for a World Cup," the club added.
"A budget of £40 has also been set aside for gifts to the FIFA family."
Local resident David Dickinson, best known for presenting TV antique shows and catchphrases such as "cheap as chips", would be on hand to officiate at the opening and closing ceremonies with current Macclesfield Town manager John Askey, according to the bid.
James Beckett, media manager at Macclesfield Town, told BBC Radio Manchester that the spoof proposal had received feedback from Japan and New Zealand after details spread on social media.
"When we finished putting the bid together, it was probably more credible than the Qatar bid.
"We've got a special promotion that anybody who buys a season ticket is going to get special access to [World Cup] tickets if the bid is successful."
Macclesfield Town are in the Vanarama Conference, the fifth tier of English football, in which they finished sixth out of the 24 teams during the season just ended
Macclesfield: What you need to know
On the edge of the Peak District, the town was best known for manufacturing silk
Macclesfield Town, who first played in the FA Cup in 1882, are nicknamed the Silkmen
Bread-making company Hovis was initially based in the town
Famous Macclesfield residents have included Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, BBC political editor Nick Robinson and the late Radio 4 Today presenter Brian Redhead
Macclesfield Town in spoof bid for World Cup 2026 - BBC News
The club, nicknamed the Silkmen, predicted the Cheshire town could provide the tournament at "a total cost of £249.99" ($382.30) following Fifa's current woes with corruption claims.
The bid boasts a 6,335-capacity stadium for the opening ceremony, an average June temperature at "a whopping 14.1°C" and free Wi-Fi in the local library.
Fifa is due to select the host nation for the 2026 tournament in 2017. Canada, Mexico and Colombia are interested in bidding for the tournament. England's FA said in March that England may also consider bidding for the tournament if Blatter steps down as FIFA President, which he did on Tuesday.
The Macclesfield bid proposes to host matches at various playing fields across the town, the biggest of which has a capacity for "200 people and 14 dogs".
Macclesfield Town in spoof bid for World Cup 2026
BBC News
3 June 2015
Macclesfield Town said the tournament would cost £249.99
A spoof bid to host the football World Cup in 2026 has been launched by non-league club Macclesfield Town.
It predicted the Cheshire town could provide the tournament at "a total cost of £249.99" ($382.30) following Fifa's current woes with corruption claims.
The bid boasts a 6,335-capacity stadium for the opening ceremony, an average June temperature at "a whopping 14.1°C" and free Wi-Fi in the local library.
Fifa is due to select the host nation for the 2026 tournament in 2017.
The Macclesfield bid proposes to host matches at various playing fields across the town, the biggest of which has a capacity for "200 people and 14 dogs".
'More credible than Qatar'
Macclesfield Town's bid boasts a 6,335-capacity stadium (Moss Rose, above) for the opening ceremony, an average June temperature at "a whopping 14.1°C" and free Wi-Fi in the local library
Training pitches would be available for participating nations but organisers stressed each association must ensure they are "clear of dog foul prior to the start of each session".
"According to Trip Advisor there are up to six hotels in Macclesfield, as well as 16 B&Bs. More than adequate for a World Cup," the club added.
"A budget of £40 has also been set aside for gifts to the FIFA family."
Local resident David Dickinson, best known for presenting TV antique shows and catchphrases such as "cheap as chips", would be on hand to officiate at the opening and closing ceremonies with current Macclesfield Town manager John Askey, according to the bid.
James Beckett, media manager at Macclesfield Town, told BBC Radio Manchester that the spoof proposal had received feedback from Japan and New Zealand after details spread on social media.
"When we finished putting the bid together, it was probably more credible than the Qatar bid.
"We've got a special promotion that anybody who buys a season ticket is going to get special access to [World Cup] tickets if the bid is successful."
Macclesfield Town are in the Vanarama Conference, the fifth tier of English football, in which they finished sixth out of the 24 teams during the season just ended
Macclesfield: What you need to know
On the edge of the Peak District, the town was best known for manufacturing silk
Macclesfield Town, who first played in the FA Cup in 1882, are nicknamed the Silkmen
Bread-making company Hovis was initially based in the town
Famous Macclesfield residents have included Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, BBC political editor Nick Robinson and the late Radio 4 Today presenter Brian Redhead
Macclesfield Town in spoof bid for World Cup 2026 - BBC News
Last edited: