Bring on the World!

Wales want to share in the World Cup glory - if England's football bosses win their bid to stage the 2006 finals.

"It would give football in Wales a massive boost to stage some of the matches," says Welsh captain Barry Horne.

The Welsh have their ace card in Cardiff Arms Park, which is being rebuilt as the most modern stadium in Europe in time for the 1999 rugby World Cup final.

That will cost nearly pounds 100 million, half of which is funded by Lottery grants.

"The Arms Park will soon stand comparison with Wembley, Old Trafford or anywhere in England," adds Horne.

The FA have already announced their intention to challenge Germany for the right to stage the 2006 finals.

And Wales believe they have government support for their bid to join them.

Heritage minister Virginia Bottomley - who has tens of millions of pounds in Lottery cash available to help the FA's cause - referred specifically to her hopes of major world sporting events being staged "in England and Wales."

That has raised hopes within the FA of Wales, whose members are certain to discuss the situation in the coming months.

"There is a precedent for the event being staged in two countries because Japan and South Korea will host the 2002 finals," says Horne.

"The whole thing is also growing larger all the time. There will be 32 countries in the finals in France in two years' time. There may be even more in 10 years.

"With so many countries involved there is surely scope for some of the games to be staged in Cardiff."

Whether Wales would then join England as automatic qualifiers as hosts could create problems. The Welsh have not qualified for the World Cup finals since 1958.

But Horne insists: "Even if Wales failed to qualify I still believe there would be massive interest here if we were staging some of the games.

"The people in Wales are sports fanatics and they would love to be involved in such a major event."

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