Betting: 6-4 favourite

Football should be coming home for a World Cup in England for the first time since 1966. If the bid for the 2018 tournament was reduced to the technical detail, the quality of stadiums and the passion of the fans, the decision would be a walkover for England.

It could also be the richest tournament in history, generating more than £3.2 billion in revenue for the home nation and millions more for sponsors.

But winning will still not be that simple when the 24 members of the Fifa executive committee pore over England’s comprehensive bid document in May next year. They may be searching for the loopholes, but these are the assets that England has to show the world.

Times Archive, 1966: England surmount their final test

The players had proved Ramsey right. The cup belonged to them

• Topic: World Cup 1966

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Top ambassador David Beckham, fashion model, international superstar and footballer with worldwide credentials, formerly with Manchester United and Real Madrid and now with the Los Angeles Galaxy and AC Milan.

Stadiums England can field an unrivalled selection of stadiums in all corners of the country, from the Theatre of Dreams at Old Trafford in Manchester to Sunderland’s Stadium of Light, and Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium in London to new grounds being planned in Nottingham, Bristol and by Tottenham Hotspur with the new White Hart Lane. The extraordinary new Wembley awaits the finalists, while rugby union’s traditional home at Twickenham could be added to the roster. In terms of venues, England could stage a World Cup tomorrow.

Transport Despite the grumbles and groans of the nation, road, rail and air travel are relatively easy. There will also be spin-off improvements, particularly in the capital, of the work being done to support the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Fans travelling from abroad have a range of regional airports to choose from, with host cities within easy reach.

Information and telecommunications With England being one of the most highly developed nations, communications and information will be easily achieved through a range of media, including the network of local radio stations, newspapers and television channels. There is also wide mobile phone coverage in every part of the country.

Broadcasting The home of the BBC, a name respected around the world, as well as many leading independent programme-makers and broadcasters, so fans across the globe can expect the best coverage of a World Cup ever. The audience would be huge, too, with hundreds of millions of viewers in the key European time zone.

Security With six years to digest the impact of London 2012, security should be a well-oiled machine just ready to start up. The cost is unlikely to be anywhere near as high as the Olympics, though, with individual cities and stadiums used to crowd control and specialist police units well practised in weeding out potential troublemakers.

Heritage Sepp Blatter, the Fifa president, describes England as “the motherland of football” and is honorary president of Sheffield FC, the world’s oldest club. That underlines the significance of England in world football, the birthplace of the sport and now a nation that has football as one of its biggest exports, with the most passionate fanbase in the world.

Legacy As a not-for-profit organisation, the FA ploughs its resources into the grassroots game in England, but the FA is also engaged in a widespread series of programmes abroad, particularly in underprivileged communities in Africa. There will also be no “white elephant” venues left after the tournament because all the stadiums will be working sports grounds. Could be one of the strongest areas of the England bid.

Revenues Sponsors will push hard for a World Cup in England. The nation’s profile, a time zone that suits most broadcasters and access to millions of fans — particularly those in England, one of the world’s strongest marketplaces — is a sponsor’s dream ticket.

England is also likely to be a massive tourist draw for the month of the tournament, with revenues predicted at £3.2 billion, which also means a handsome profit for Fifa, which makes the bulk of its income from the quadrennial tournament.

Odds supplied by William Hill