FA chairman Lord Triesman (L) resigned after a British newspaper claimed that he suggested Spain could end its bid for the 2018 World Cup if rival bidder Russia helped bribe referees at the 2010 South Africa World Cup. [Xinhua/Reuters file Photo]

FA chairman Lord Triesman resigned after a British newspaper claimed that he suggested Spain could end its bid for the 2018 World Cup if rival bidder Russia helped bribe referees at the 2010 South Africa World Cup.

Triesman, 66, also quit as chairman of England's 2018 World Cup Bid Board, two days after he and England soccer star David Beckham delivered England's 1,752-page bid book to FIFA chairman Sepp Blatter in Zurich.

The Mail on Sunday claimed to have obtained a tape recorded conversation of Triesman talking to her former aide Melissa Jacobs, who said she had a relationship with Triesman in 2008.

During the conversation, Triesman said: "My assumption is that the Latin Americans, although they've not said so, will vote for Spain. And if Spain drop out, because Spain are looking for help from the Russians to help bribe the referees in the World Cup, their votes may then switch to Russia."

Hours after the news hit the headline of British media, Triesman said: "I have decided to resign as chairman of The FA and the 2018 Bid Board."

"A private conversation with someone whom I thought to be a friend was taped without my knowledge and passed to a national newspaper. That same friend has also chosen to greatly exaggerate the extent of our friendship.

"In that conversation I commentated on speculation circulating about conspiracies around the world. Those comments were never intended to be taken seriously as indeed is the case with many private conversations.

"The views expressed were not the views of the 2018 Bid Board or the FA. Nobody should be under any misapprehension that The FA or 2018 Bid Board are disrespectful of other nations or FIFA and I regret any such inference that may have been drawn from what has been reported.

"Entrapment especially by a friend is an unpleasant experience both for my family and me but it leaves me with no alternative but to resign. I have immediately informed The FA board of my decision. "

An FA statement read: "After fully discussing and considering the alleged comments with Lord Triesman, The FA Board accepted his resignation as FA chairman and chairman of the World Cup Bid Board with immediate effect."

David Sheepshanks, chairman of the Professional Game Board and Roger Burden, chairman of the National Game Board had been appointed as joint acting chairmen of The FA.