Australia could concentrate on 2022 bid 28/01/2010 |
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The Football Federation of Australia (FFA) has hinted that it will make 2022 its priority after Fifa president Sepp Blatter revealed that the race to host the 2018 World Cup could be limited to European countries.
Europe is hot favourite to be handed the tournament in 2018 and Blatter said earlier this week that a European-only deal would make life easier for Fifa’s executive committee.
FFA chairman Frank Lowy has vowed to continue with bids to host either edition unless advised otherwise by Fifa, but appears to believe that 2022 will now be Australia’s best chance. Fifa will announce the host countries for both tournaments in December.
"In response to recent comments by Fifa president Sepp Blatter, FFA confirms it has been aware for some time that there is a push for the 2018 World Cup to be awarded to one of the European bidders," the FFA said in a statement.
"Hence FFA is not surprised by the president's comments as they are reflective that those discussions have occurred in some quarters."
Lowy added: "If we come to the view that we have a better chance for 2022 than 2018, we will act accordingly.”
England and Russia have applied separately to stage the 2018 and/or the 2022 World Cup, while Spain-Portugal and Netherlands-Belgium have made joint bids for one or both.
Australia, the United States and Japan have also bid for the 2018 and/or 2022 tournament, and South Korea, Indonesia and Qatar have all applied to host only the 2022 event.
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