Caborn Asked to Land World Cup

Richard Caborn, who bowed out yesterday as the longest-serving sports minister after six years, has been given one final political challenge - landing the 2018 World Cup for England. Caborn, who played a key role in the London Olympics campaign and has a bulging contacts book in the world of football administration, will become Gordon Brown's World Cup ambassador.

A replacement sports minister is likely to be appointed today but two potential successors were ruled out when they received other key roles in the government reshuffle. Andy Burnham, MP for Leigh and a former administrator to the football taskforce, became chief secretary to the Treasury and Ian Austin, MP for Dudley North, became one of Brown's ministerial aides.

Caborn's achievements included pressing for governance reforms at the FA, toughening the stance on drugs in sport and overhauling the responsibilities of agencies including UK Sport and Sport England. He will remain as MP for Sheffield Central.

In a letter to him Brown said the minister had done much to promote sport at home and overseas and had played "a key role" in the bid to host the Olympic Games in London in 2012. "I am convinced that a successful bid to host the 2018 football World Cup would be a magnificent double for this country," Brown added.