Fifa royal wedding bribe claim denied

(GETTY IMAGES)

Prince William's spokesman has rejected claims by a Fifa member that he was invited to the royal wedding as an enticement to vote for England's 2018 World Cup bid.

Nicolas Leoz, the Paraguayan president of the South American Football Confederation, claimed he received the invitation the day before the vote, at a breakfast meeting in Zurich with the Prince, who is president of the FA.

The spokesman said: "No one from Fifa was offered an invitation to the wedding in return for their vote. I can categorically state that."

Mr Leoz was quoted in his country's press as saying: "I was invited on the occasion of our meeting [in December]." He said he could not attend owing to a football federation congress in Asuncion.