David Beckham's presence in South Africa this summer could prove a decisive factor in helping England win the bid to host the 2018 World Cup finals, according to the head of this year’s tournament, Danny Jordaan.

Backing: Danny Jordaan believes David Beckham is "an important factor" in England's hopes to gain 2018 World Cup

The chief executive of South Africa 2010 said he expected Beckham to accept Fabio Capello’s offer to travel with the England squad, even though he has been ruled out through injury from playing.

“I think David Beckham will still come,” Jordaan said. “There is already an indication that he will be part of the [backroom] team and also England is making a bid for 2018 and I’m sure that the bid team will use him during the World Cup. He’s an important factor.

“We saw when he went into Khayelitsha [the Cape Town township] for the draw in December, the excitement of the youngsters because he is an important figure in football. I think England’s 2018 committee understand he is a major factor in their bid and if he’s not able to play then he will have more time available to help the bid process.”

Beckham is already a bid ambassador for 2018 and Jordaan added that he felt England had a “realistic” chance of being successful.

With just 80 days to go now until this year’s tournament kicks off in Johannesburg, Jordaan conceded that there would be fewer fans — around 100,000 fewer — attending than as originally estimated. He said that an assessment of how many supporters would travel was currently being carried out by the organisers with a report expected to be submitted next month ahead of a final drive to push ticket sales.

However Jordaan dismissed claims that security fears and the lack of infra-structure — adequate transport links and accommodation — had led to fans’ considering missing the event. Instead he blamed the cost a lack of spending money brought about by the economic crisis.

“We did our calculations in 2004-05 — and then in 2008-09 we had a global economic crisis which reduced the amount of spare cash people had,” he said.

“So we are now making an assessment of what the impact of that will be. The original figure was that we expected 450,000 visitors and we have asked for a new assessment. We are probably now looking at around 350,000.”

So far 65,000 tickets for matches have been sold in the United Kingdom — the highest figure is the 120,000 sold in the United States — although Jordaan estimates there are around 2.5 million England supporters already living in South Africa.

“The major tasks have been complete, all the stadia are complete,” Jordaan said adding that the transport plans were being “fine-tuned”. He said: “We are playing matches, all the countries have chosen their base camps and the training pitches are being put in, everything will be fine.

“We want to present it as an African World Cup. The continent of Africa has supported us and there were huge celebrations when we were awarded the event. In many of the countries they understand the importance of a successful World Cup in South Africa because the world is not only going to judge South Africa but the whole of Africa.

“It will help Africa for the world to look at Africa through different eyes not as just one big block where everyone is blamed for everything on every corner of the continent and also to show that Africa can deliver on its promises, can perform and host the biggest event on the earth. If we can do that successfully then the world will have to re-examine the way in which calculations, opinions are made.”

He brushed aside the much-debated safety concerns, pointing out that 11 million tourists, with the highest number from the UK, visit the country each year while 35,000 supporters travelled for the last British Lions rugby union tour.