UK Govt. asks football clubs to curb spending for 2018 World Cup bid

London, Mar. 7 (ANI): Amid concerns that British football clubs' high-spending ways will cost England the chance to stage the World Cup in 2018, the British Government has told them to put their finances in order.

Culture and Sport Secretary Ben Bradshaw has told the game's top executives that the financial chaos, combined with confusion over overseas ownership of teams, is damaging the country's reputation in the eyes of FIFA, which will decide on the 2018 hosts later this year, The Times reports.

Bradshaw has been told by Gordon Brown to do everything in his power to ensure that England beats off rival World Cup bids.

The teams of the Premier League have combined debts of about 3 billion pounds - the same amount as all the sides in Europe's main leagues put together.

Much of this debt is at Manchester United and Liverpool, which both have American owners.

Last month, Portsmouth FC went into administration and has changed owners four times over the course of the current season.

Bradshaw told the game's bosses to put their house in order when he attended last week's friendly international between England and Egypt at Wembley.

He wants more background checks on would-be owners to establish they have the money they claim and is keen for supporters to have a greater say in the running of clubs. (ANI)