Beckenbauer's backing is a big boost for England

Beckenbauer, a member of Fifa's executive committee, believes the continental rotation policy should end.

He told BBC Five Live's Sportsweek: "There is no better country in Europe to host the World Cup in 2018. England is the favourite."

England are set to launch an official bid next year, and the government has indicated its support.

Interview: German football legend Franz Beckenbauer

Former sports minister Richard Caborn has already been appointed as World Cup ambassador.

And Beckenbauer, who headed Germany's organising committee for the 2006 finals, believes England have a great chance of hosting the event.

He added: "The most important thing is to end the rotation and bring the tournament back to Europe.

606: DEBATE Would England make a good host? CL

"The Premier League at the moment is the best league in Europe and the stadiums are outstanding.

"In my opinion, there is only one very serious candidate and it is England.

"I think there is not really a problem to pick a host of the 2018 World Cup."

Fifa president Sepp Blatter is expected to end the rotation experiment, but he insisted that Europe has no divine right to host the 2018 tournament.

Instead, Fifa are likely to approve a format which only precludes the continents which held the previous two World Cups from bidding again, which in 2018, would be Africa and South America.