World Cup / Joe Dyer / 01 December 2010 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

England are out to [4.0] following latest bid scandal for the World Cup in 2018.

Following weeks of controversy Russia has emerged as the odds-on favourite at [1.82] on Betfair to receive enough votes from the Fifa Executive Committee to host the 2018 World Cup. The Russian bid, despite question marks surrounding the vast country's transport infrastructure, is now in pole position to win the vote in Zurich on Thursday December 2.

England's attempt to hold the World Cup for the first time since 1966 has been blighted by scandal and claims of corruption at Fifa, the most recent being the much-discussed Panorama programme aired on BBC1 on Monday night.

Having been the long-term market favourites and traded as short as [1.69] on the exchange, the England bid is now out to [4.0] to land world football's show-piece event. The joint bid from Portugal and Spain is a [5.4] chance, with the other potential co-hosts Belgium and The Netherlands [36.0] outsiders.

Betfair's Andy Lulham said: "Six months ago England looked almost nailed-on to host the 2018 World Cup but, as the bid has lurched from one scandal to another, those odds have drifted.

"Unfortunately for England fans it now looks like the Russian bid is the one to beat."