Liverpool not ready

Fifteen cities and towns, including Liverpool, put forward cases to stage games if the bid succeeds but, on the day Everton’s move to Kirby was rejected and with Liverpool’s Stanley Park project continually delayed, neither existing stadium conforms to FIFA standards.

"(The city) needs a new stadium, we always knew that. When the bid was submitted it was on the grounds of new grounds being in place, not Anfield hosting the World Cup in nine years' time," 2018 executive Barnes was quoted as saying by PA Sport.

"I'm sure that would have been the case anyway because neither Anfield nor Goodison would fit the criteria for hosting a World Cup," the former Liverpool and England midfielder added.

"They would have had to have built a new stadium anyway."

The 15 locations hoping to be part of the bid are London, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds, Derby, Hull, Newcastle-Gateshead (joint submission), Nottingham, Plymouth, Leicester, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Sheffield and Sunderland.

Portsmouth had previously pulled out of the running due to financial concerns.