Portsmouth pulls out of 2018 bid

Fratton Park is out of the running to host games in the 2018 World Cup

Portsmouth will not bid to be a potential host city should England win the bid to stage the 2018 World Cup.

The move to pull out of the race comes after Portsmouth City Council refused to provide financial guarantees, fearing the bid was too much of a risk.

Premier League club Pompey announced plans to extend the capacity of their Fratton Park home to 30,000 in March.

Thursday is the deadline for host city applications, with stadiums included in the final bid announced in December.

In June 2008, Pompey unveiled plans to leave Fratton Park for a new 36,000-capacity stadium overlooking Portsmouth harbour.

606: DEBATE Like so many things with Pompey we were caught up in the dream. We are living a nightmare now, which we will hopefully wake up from Leading fish in Hants

But those plans were shelved earlier this year in favour of redeveloping the club's current home, "with a view to completion in line with the Football Association's World Cup bid for 2018/2022".

However, the city's challenge to be part of England's bid to stage the 2018 tournament ended at a council meeting on Tuesday.

Fifteen cities are expected to submit applications to become a host venue should England be awarded the finals.

Between 12 and 18 stadiums from about 10 cities will then be chosen to form part of England's bid, with that announcement scheduled for 16 December.

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