World Cup games could bring a �250m boost to Bristol

Zinedine Zidane dribbles past Hannover sign

Hannover hosted five matches attended by 200,000 fans in 2006

Hosting World Cup football matches in Bristol could bring a £250m boost to the local economy, a meeting of the city council has been told.

The figure would be made from £150m of tourist spending plus £100m of construction jobs. The cost of hosting games for Bristol would be £17m.

The city will now make a formal bid to host matches should England secure the 2018 tournament.

Councillors were told the financial and cultural benefits would be "immense".

If successful, games would be staged at Bristol City FC's proposed new stadium at Ashton Vale - although extra seating would need to be provided.

'Once in a lifetime'

The council's report, based on research by business advisors PricewaterhouseCoopers, predicts the World Cup could bring up to two million visitors and create thousands of job.

The report's authors studied the economic benefits to the German cities of Hannover and Frankfurt of staging matches in the 2006 contest.

Bristol's final bid document is likely to be be handed into the FA on Thursday.

On 16 December, the FA will announce their final list of 12 cities which could host games.

Simon Cook, the city council's deputy leader, said: "The chance to host World Cup football matches is a once in a lifetime opportunity and the financial and cultural benefits to the city are immense.

"We have though always said that we need to be prudent in considering the costs that would come with bidding for, and if successful, hosting such matches.

"This is all the more true in tough economic times."