Anson, 44, is currently Chief Executive - Europe - for the ATP, the men’s professional tennis tour, and will take up his new role with the Bid Company in January 2009. He was previously Commercial Director with Manchester United and also spent three years in Los Angeles working for the Walt Disney Corporation.

Andy said: “It is an absolute privilege to be invited to take the role and play a part in the bid to bring the World Cup tournament back to England in 2018. This project is a chance for us to show that England can stage a successful tournament on behalf of the football world and I’m extremely excited by the prospect.

“It’s a tremendous challenge and within the excitement there’s also a huge responsibility for all of us working on the project. A World Cup here can benefit the nation and unite communities across the country, but this is also a Bid that will aim to unite the entire globe.

"We have fantastic infrastructure already in place – including some of the best and most famous stadia in world football - but that alone will not be enough.

"We cannot afford to sit back and expect success. We will have to work extremely hard to show the world that England is the place for the World Cup in 2018 and I’m delighted I shall be playing my part.”

Bid Chairman Lord Triesman said of the appointment: “I’m delighted Andy is joining us as he has an excellent pedigree. He had an outstanding record at Manchester United and understands both the football and commercial sides of the industry.

"In his current role he has been at the centre of professional tennis and has done a tremendous job for the sport. His enthusiasm to see that England should earn the right to host the world’s greatest tournament is self-evident in everything he says.”