The national dress-down day aims to show FIFA delegates the country’s passion for football during their four day inspection visit to the country. Wear Your Shirt to Work day on Tuesday August 24, also marks the 100 day countdown until decision day.
Businesses, social clubs, school holiday camps and Sheffield City Council are just some of the groups Sheffield and England 2018 are seeking to show their support for the all-inclusive day. Rio Ferdinand and Ray Winstone are also encouraging workers around the country to don their kit.
Sheffield2018 has estimated that hosting the FIFA World Cup in the city would bring an additional £160m - £300m revenue for the region’s businesses. It would put the city’s sporting reputation in a global spotlight.
The Sheffield & Hallamshire FA is also calling on members of the 5,000 teams they represent with to wear the kits of the teams they play for to demonstrate the abundance of football teams the city embraces.
Representatives from Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield & Hallamshire FA, Creative Sheffield, Sheffield City Council, Hallam FM, Sheffield Hallam University, Westfield Health, Sheffield FC, Sheffield College, and the Diocese of Sheffield were on hand to launch the campaign in the city.
Wayne Coyle, director of the Sheffield2018 bid, said: “The huge number of football teams this city is home to is one of the key themes of Sheffield’s bid. The sheer volume of support we have for football and all sport shows we have enormous passion for the game. Winning the bid would also have a massive economic impact on the city so Wear Your Shirt to Work Day is the perfect opportunity for the city’s businesses to show their backing to the bid.
“I hope people across South Yorkshire will wear not just the shirts of the six big Football League clubs in the region, but those of the shirts of their Sunday League teams, their Under-11s clubs and their local pub side with pride.”
Famous faces and ambassadors for England’s World Cup bid are also encouraging the public to get stripped next week.
Rio Ferdinand said: “Wear Your Shirt To Work Day is a great chance for the entire country to get together as one team and back the bid. I can’t wait to see so many people wearing their football shirts to work!”
Ray Winstone has also been keen to support ‘Wear Your Shirt To Work Day’. He said: “I want to see everyone wearing their colours with pride and getting behind England’s World Cup Bid. “It’s not just 11 players who wear the shirt. It’s thousands of proud Englishmen, so wear yours.”
Sheffield2018 are asking people across the region to send in pictures of them wearing their shirts to be featured on its website. Please email Helena.pinder@sheffield.gov.uk with your photos.
‘Wear Your Shirt To Work Day’ is supported by Candidate Host Cities and local counties across the country as well as England 2018 partners including Morrisons, BT and British Airways.
There are a number of ways to show Support for England’s bid: