The Government wants a share of the profits from what could be the richest World Cup on record if England wins the bid to stage the 2018 finals.
But there may be no profit, as talks drag on over the Government’s contribution to the £15 million cost of financing the bid and fears continue to surface that rows over cash and personalities could overshadow England’s prospects of impressing Fifa.
With the Government yet to pay its share of the campaign fund, there is an increasing danger that England’s bid will be the most impoverished on show to Fifa’s executive committee and the FA will be forced to attempt to win over its 24 members on a budget that will be only about a third of