We are the world - Bristol children back World Cup bid
It is the children of the city who will play in, support, volunteer for, attend, be inspired by and benefit most from the world's biggest sporting event were it to come to Bristol.
And yesterday 32 of them, representing 32 nations which could be competing in the 2018 World Cup, came together to voice their support for Bristol to be part of England's bid to FIFA.
They have come to Bristol from all over the world – from India to the Ivory Coast, Chile to China – and are united in Bristol by their love for football.
Think back to the World Cups in Germany 2006, Japan 2002 and France 1998. Our country came alive with flags fluttering from cars and balconies and enthusiastic football-related banter dominating the bars and radio waves, and England weren't even hosting the event, let alone staging matches in Bristol.
The city had 73 nationalities recorded in the last census and could have many more come 2018, not least after the world has seen what Bristol has to offer.
It has two professional football teams in the Coca-Cola Football League, both of which have taken more than 36,000 fans to Wembley play-offs.
The appetite for football in Bristol would fill a World Cup stadium twice over before tickets were even offered to the tourists and the investment from the city's inclusion would further build Bristol as a historic and vibrant capital of the West.
Diverse and deserving. This is the first page of our World Cup sticker album. Help us do it for real in 2018.
Cast your vote with the England Bid Team: Go to www.thisisbristol.co.uk/worldcup
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