ENGLAND'S HOPES of staging the 2006 World Cup finals were boosted yesterday when UEFA were forced to back down in a row over their support for Germany.

UEFA president Lennart Johannson said that while they would not break a "gentleman's agreement" they have had with Germany since 1993, they accepted England's bid would be decided upon, along with Germany's, by democratic process in due course.

Franz Beckenbauer, who is spearheading Germany's bid, said yesterday: "I believe the situation we now find ourselves in will divide the European bid and could bean advantage to a third country". A decision on who eventually hosts the finals will be taken by the executive committee of FIFA world soccer's governing body, in three years' time.