Influential FIFA power broker Jack Warner has backed England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup finals, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's spokesman said Monday.
Warner, who previously criticised England's troubled bid, threw his weight behind it following an "extremely productive" meeting with Brown in Trinidad at the weekend.
"It was an excellent meeting. Jack Warner has subsequently gone on the record to say that he now fully supports England's bid," Brown's spokesman said.
"On the back of that, also President Lula of Brazil has come out over the weekend in support of England's bid."
Brown's spokesman said Warner had been "very struck by the prime minister's passion for the sport", although earlier this month, Warner appeared to come out in support of Australia's bid.
Warner is president of CONCACAF, the Confederation of North and Central America and the Caribbean, and a powerful member of the FIFA Executive Committee which will make the decision on the World Cup host.
England's campaign to host the World Cup finals has been troubled so far, the latest setback being English Premier League chairman Dave Richards resigning from the board last week.