The move would see Wavertree’s Mystery park renamed to become a Beatles-themed World Cup “Fan Fest” site, with events and attractions throughout the tournament.

The Council also plan to launch a car-free scheme under the banner "You'll Never Walk Alone", the song made famous by another famous group from the city, Gerry & the Pacemakers, and now the anthem of Liverpool, the five-time European champions. 

Marsden the lead member of Gerry & The Pacemakers, led the "One City: One Goal" campaign on a promotional video using guitars for goalposts as part of an impromptu kickabout, which was shown to inspectors from the Football Association visting Liverpool today.

Newsham Park would also become a FIFA Fan Fest venue and have a Victorian theme, including the grass roots of football.

Several of the North West's other clubs, including Tranmere Rovers, Wigan Athletic, Blackburn Rovers and Preston North End, have also made their grounds available as training camps for visiting countries.

Roger McLaughlin, 2018 World Cup co-ordinator at the Northwest Regional Development Agency, said: "The economic benefits of holding matches in the city are felt across the region.

"Hosting the World Cup in England and Liverpool would make a huge economic and social impact and it is excellent to see local clubs working together to produce a truly North West bid."

But the centre of the bid would remain Liverpool, who hope to be build a new stadium by 2018.

Liverpool Council Leader Warren Bradley said: “We’ve worked hard to develop what being a host city would mean for the fans, visitors and residents.

"The Fan Fest sites and Celebration Squares will draw on the very best of what people saw in the Capital of Culture year, with a green transport theme and health promotion programme, which will ensure the city experiences a meaningful and lasting legacy of being part of the World Cup.”

Liverpool are one of 16 cities across the country bidding to be a host city and must now submit its final written bid to England’s World Cup bid company by November this year.
 

The country’s list of host cities will then be announced in December and the complete bid will be put forward in May next year.

England are one of nine countries bidding to host the 2018 World Cup, which will be awarded by FIFA at a meeting in December 2010, at the same time as the 2022 tournament.

The other bidding countries are Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Russia, United States and joint bids from Holland and Belgium and Spain and Portugal.

Qatar and South Korea are bidding for just the 2022 World Cup.


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