As England's 2018 World Cup bid lurches from one disaster to another espnstar.com looks at how the tale has unfolded.

2007:

October 31 - The FA confirm England will bid to host the 2018 World Cup finals.

2008:

February 14 - FIFA vice-president Jack Warner says the "time has come" for England to host another World Cup.

October 12 - The FA confirm Manchester United chief executive David Gill and Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney will both be on Lord Triesman's England 2018 Limited executive board.

October - Current and former England internationals David Beckham and John Barnes and England women's head coach Hope Powell are appointed vice-presidents of the bid.

November 11 - England head coach Fabio Capello is one of six new bid vice-presidents announced. The others are Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon, former FA chairman Geoff Thompson, Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor, Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy and Lord Stern of Brentford, formerly chief economist of the World Bank.

November 20 - Andy Anson, the former commercial director of Manchester United, is appointed chief executive of England's bid for the 2018 World Cup.

December 22 - Lord Triesman confirms Prince William and Beckham will act as main cheerleaders for England's 2018 World Cup bid.

2009:

January 16 - England 2018 leaders appoint Ian Riley, a South African, as technical bid director.

January 27 - England officially submit their bid for the 2018 World Cup to FIFA.

February 2 - England are one of 11 nations - along with Spain/Portugal, Russia, Holland/Belgium, USA, Mexico, Australia, Japan, Qatar, Indonesia and South Korea - to express an interest in hosting the 2018 or 2022 World Cup finals, with the winners to be announced in December 2010.

March 17 - Mohamed Bin Hammam, the president of the Asian football Confederation and a FIFA executive committee member, said England "deserve" to host the World Cup.

March 19 - Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards is appointed a deputy chairman of England's World Cup bid campaign.

May 18 - Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Prime Minister Gordon Brown officially launch England's 2018 World Cup bid at Wembley.

July 5 - FIFA committee member Franz Beckenbauer tentatively backs England's World Cup bid, claiming the country could stage football's showpiece event "tomorrow".

October 6 - England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup is only "creeping along" when it should be galloping, according to Warner.

October 13 - Karren Brady, a former managing director of Birmingham, and former Celtic and Chelsea defender Paul Elliott are appointed as bid board members. Baroness Amos steps down after being appointed as British High Commissioner to Australia.

October 22 - The full 50-man squad of ambassadors for the bid is announced, with England captain John Terry named alongside a number of foreign players who have had a big impact on English football as well as ex-internationals and members of the England women's and disabled teams.

October 22 - England 2018 chiefs insist they are acting "within the spirit and letter" of bidding rules after being criticised for making gifts of designer handbags to FIFA executive members.

November 4 - Warner returns the designer handbag given to his wife by England 2018 bid leaders.

November 12 - England 2018 bid leaders announce a major re-structuring of its board following an emergency meeting. FIFA vice-president Geoff Thompson is included alongside Sir Dave Richards, Lord Mawhinney, Lord Coe, Elliott and Anson. Original board members such as David Gill, Sir Keith Mills and sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe are to join an advisory group headed by Brady.

November 14 - Football Association chairman Lord Triesman says he is convinced England will win the 2018 race, saying: "We have the very best chance of winning it and I still believe it is the most probable outcome."

November 16 - Simon Greenberg, Chelsea's communications and public affairs director, agrees to join England's 2018 World Cup bid in a similar capacity.

November 17 - Sports minister Sutcliffe insists he has not been sidelined from the bid - and said it was he who suggested streamlining the board in order to refocus the campaign.

November 24 - Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards resigns from the England 2018 board.