Editing Walter Winterbottom (section)

==Later life==
In 1978, after reaching the age of 65, Winterbottom retired from the Sports Council and was knighted for his services to sport. He became an advisor to the British government on ways in which British manufacturers of sports equipment could work with foreign firms. In 1979, he visited Australia and New Zealand to help their governments to support sport in the community.

He was head of the FIFA Technical Studies Group for the World Cup in 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978 and a member in 1982.<ref>{{cite news|title=Public FIFA Records}}</ref> In 1985 The Winterbottom Report, an FA enquiry into artificial playing surfaces was published and in 1987–89 he was a member of the Football League enquiry into artificial pitches.<ref>{{cite web|title=Indianfootball.com|url=http://www.indianfootball.de/features/column/column-santosh200703.html|access-date=3 December 2012|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061700/http://www.indianfootball.de/features/column/column-santosh200703.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

He died in the [[Royal Surrey County Hospital|Royal Surrey Hospital]] after an operation for cancer on 16 February 2002. He was 88 years old. A memorial service was held at St. Nicolas Church, [[Cranleigh]], Surrey on 1 March 2002.