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Fifa has set a deadline of 2 February for bidders for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to express their interest.

England, Spain and Portugal, Holland and Belgium, Australia, China, Mexico and Russia have previously signalled a desire to stage one or other event.

Any successful host will need to have at least 12 stadiums with minimum capacities of 40,000, and the final must be held in an 80,000 ground.

Fifa will announce the successful 2018 and 2022 hosts in December 2010.

In 2007 Fifa ended its policy of rotating the World Cup from continent to continent.

Countries are barred from bidding to stage the event if they are located in a continent that has hosted one of the two previous tournaments.

With South Africa hosting the 2010 competition, African nations will not be able to bid for the 2018 World Cup.

And South American countries will not be considered for either 2018 or 2022 as Brazil is hosting the 2014 World Cup.

(Source: BBC Sport)