LONDON (AP) -- With only Manchester in the running and no other bids expected by last night's deadline, the 2002 Commonwealth Games appear headed to England.

Manchester, which formally submitted its bid on Tuesday, is expected to be confirmed as host by the 68 member countries at a meeting in Bermuda in November.

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the 2002 Games will mark the first time since London in 1934 that England has played host.

Manchester's candidature is led by Bob Scott, who was behind the city's unsuccessful attempts to secure the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games.

"In no way do we regard the Commonwealth Games as a consolation for not getting the Olympics,'' Scott said. "They are a great prize in their own right. We have the vision and organisation to make them the best ever.'' Manchester, which was chosen over London two years ago to submit the English bid, already has many of the needed facilities in place as a result of its Olympic bids.

However, the centrepiece of the bid, an 80,000-seat stadium, is still in doubt. Money from Britain's new national lottery is expected to finance a new national stadium, but Manchester would have to beat off competition from London, Birmingham, Sheffield and Bradford to get the money.

Manchester already has two soccer stadiums, Manchester United's Old Trafford and Manchester City's Maine Road, under extensive renovations and some have questioned the need for a third major outdoor venue in the city.

The 1998 Commonwealth Games will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.