England already arranging World Cup victory celebration (AP) Updated: 2006-05-25 16:56
LONDON (AP)-- Queen Elizabeth II has set aside July 10 to welcome England
coach Sven-Goran Eriksson and his players for an open-top bus World Cup victory
celebration to Trafalgar Square.
Wishful thinking? After all, the World Cup doesn't kick off until June 9.
The Times reported Wednesday that the Football Association has begun making
arrangements with police and Buckingham Palace officials in case England wins
the World Cup for the first time in 40 years.
If England wins the title, the celebrations in central London will be far
bigger than the million people who thronged the area after England's 2003 Rugby
World Cup triumph. And larger than the tens of thousands of people who turned up
after the cricket team's Ashes triumph over Australia last September.
On that basis, says the Times, the FA and police want to be prepared.
The FA doesn't want to make any official comment, however, in case it looks
like overconfidence.
"We have no comment to make on any such plans," said FA spokesman Adrian
Bevington. "We certainly don't want to tempt fate by discussing any plans we may
or may not have."
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