England's dream of hosting the 2018 World Cup ended in disappointment today.

Russia won the right to stage the tournament after a ballot by the Fifa executive committee in Zurich. President Sepp Blatter made the announcement in the Swiss city shortly after 3.30pm.

The 2022 World Cup was given to Qatar.

The England 2018 bid team had hoped the lobbying of Fifa members by Prince William, David Cameron and David Beckham in recent days had given them an advantage.

But the campaign was ultimately unsuccessful.

Despite a bid described as "excellent and remarkable" by Mr Blatter, judges rejected sending the tournament back to England for the first time since 1966. It is understood England went out after the first round of voting.

Though the nation is blessed with a series of excellent stadia, good transport links and policing, it is thought a number of behind-the-scenes factors possibly went against England.

BBC's recent Panorama investigation accused three Fifa executive committee members of accepting "corrupt" payments and alleged that Fifa vice-president Jack Warner attempted to supply ticket touts.

It was transmitted just three days ago.

Uefa president Michel Platini insisted the documentary would not alter members' votes or wreck England's chances.

But he did claim that the British media's arduous relationship with football's international governing body could jeopardise England's chances of success.

African confederation president Issa Hayatou - whose vote England had high hopes of capturing - Brazil's Ricardo Terra Teixeira and Nicolas Leoz of Paraguay were all accused by Panorama of taking payments.

Mr Warner was the subject of accusations that he "ordered (2010 World Cup) tickets costing 84,240 US dollars from the Fifa ticket office but the deal subsequently fell through".

The four men were all part of the electorate who voted.

Mr Warner's importance to the England bid was such that Mr Cameron invited him to lunch.

Handed the World Cup by Blatter, Russian deputy prime minister Igor Shuvalov celebrated, saying: "You have entrusted us with the Fifa World Cup for 2018 and I can promise, we all can promise, you will never regret it.

"Let us make history together."

Joint bids by Spain and Portugal and Holland and Belgium also lost out.

Sources close to the English bid said England did not even make it to the final round of voting.

Fifa executives also voted today to choose the 2022 World Cup hosts with Qatar winning the contest.

Qatar beat bids from Australia, the United States and 2004 World Cup co-hosts Japan and South Korea.

London Mayor Boris Johnson, who chairs London United, the group responsible for co-ordinating the capital's bid, said the result was "tremendously disappointing".

"We put together a cracking bid, our technical specification was top notch and our stadiums would have been packed to the rafters.

"Londoners love football. This is a blow but we have achieved a great deal with this bid and we have much to look ahead to."

He added: "We remain 100%-focused on developing London as the most exciting sporting destination in the world, and we have a lot to offer other countries, from putting together our bid and from planning the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"We will carry on providing a strong voice in football and world sport."

Congratulating Russia, the winners of the 2018 host city bid, the mayor told Londoners to be proud of England's campaign.

He said: "The international exposure we've had through the bid process is incredible and we have shown that England's wonderfully diverse and open cities are ripe for hosting the very best sporting events from all corners of the world.

"This has been a bid to be proud of and, whilst of course we congratulate Russia, we can look ahead to hosting the Uefa Champions League Final next year and the Olympics in 2012, the first time since 1948."