Football Association chairman Lord Triesman has promised to deliver a "transparent" World Cup bid ahead of an 18-month charm offensive to persuade FIFA executive committee to vote for England.
Triesman was joined by David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Prime Minister Gordon Brown at Wembley for the launch of the campaign to host the 2018 or 2022 tournament.
There have historically been question marks over the methods of gaining votes but Triesman, a week after the row over MP's expenses emerged, insisted the bid will be executed professionally.
"We will deal with people on a very straightforward basis and a transparent way," he said. "Everyone will be able to inspect everything we have done.
"That is absolutely my intention and I will stick to that. That is what the rest of the world will expect from us.
"I said from the outset, and I'm absolutely determined on this, that we will run a completely transparent campaign.
"We are living in a world now where people are expected to be a bit more careful what they do in financial terms because of the world economic climate. These are much tougher times.
"Displays of largesse are very unappealing. We will do it properly and spend the money we need, but we will do it properly."
Competition comes from joint bids from Spain and Portugal, Holland and Belgium, while Russia, Australia and America also among those looking to host.
Bid chief executive Andy Anson believes the failed 2006 bid was guilty of "arrogance and complacency" and while Triesman stopped short of repeating the accusation, he feels they must learn from their mistakes.
"We've got to go out and convince the rest of the world that we've earned the right," Triesman said.
"There's no reason why people should give you things you've not earned and that's my whole approach to it.
"People are very proud of their history and the FA itself is a 146-year-old organization. I'm enormously proud of that. I'd be a liar if I didn't acknowledge it.
"I think when you're very proud of something it's possible to talk to other people in a way that doesn't acknowledge that they're as proud of what they do.
"I'm not describing that as arrogance, I think there needs to be a sensitivity to what other people feel and when you are sensitive to it they're enormously sensitive to what you feel."
Triesman still needs to talk to the Government about funding options.
"We are working on different ways that may be done," he said. "I remain very hopeful."
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Andy Burnham suggested that funding would come from within the sport initially.
"We would look to the game first to provide the funds to help the bid but we will come forward and will help if necessary," he said. "We think England have a compelling case."
The bid is expected to cost £15million, with Burnham responding to questions over whether that should happen during the current economic crisis.
"I would say that by bringing this event to this country, we can give the whole country and the economy a lift," he said.
"We will bring tourists here and welcome the whole world and that is a good thing for the British economy."
There are hopes that England's passion for football will be a persuading factor, as well as the popularity of the Premier League.
Bids will be lodged in December with inspections from July to October next year before a decision is made at the end of 2010.
Prime Minister Brown added: "There is one major issue that President Obama and I disagree fundamentally. He wants America to win the bid for 2018."
England bid begins with big gaffe
England's bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup started with a public-relations embarrassment after it emerged British National Party politician Richard Barnbrook was among those at yesterday's campaign launch at Wembley.
David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Football Association chairman Lord Triesman all spoke at the national stadium, where the presence of Barnbrook angered some of the audience.
An England 2018 spokesman said: "All elected members of the GLA (Greater London Authority) were invited to the launch.
"We recognize that the presence of one elected member, who is playing no part in the England 2018 bid, has caused offense and we apologize. He should not have been present at the event and will not be at any in the future."
Bid officials had been hoping for a positive start to the campaign, with chief executive Andy Anson vowing to learn from the mistakes of 2006 when England failed.
Triesman, meanwhile, had spoken of the "home-from-home welcome" that England would give fans and teams if the tournament was staged in the country.
"Inside and outside our grounds, we'd share with them the love of the game and our sense of fair play," he said. "And they would enjoy our diverse culture - one that means England would provide a home-from-home welcome for every fan and player."
One eyewitness said of the presence of Barnbrook: "I found it shocking and it undermined the tone of the launch and ran counter to it.
"They were making all the right sounds during the presentation, phrases like 'making England a home from home', and here was someone sitting there from the BNP. Why would you invite him?"
It is also understood that equality and inclusion campaigners Kick It Out were not invited, which puzzled some guests.
Lord Herman Ouseley, founder and chairman of Kick It Out, said: "We have had a number of complaints since this news came to light, many citing the bizarre nature of having a BNP presence at the launch.
"If the aim of the event was to send out a message of diversity and multi-representation then this seems a strange way of going about it.
"As football's equality and inclusion campaign, we regret this very unfortunate start to a campaign of such national significance and hope we don't see a repeat."
