FIFA receives eleven bids for 2018 and 2022 World Cups
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
FIFA has received 11 bids to host the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup tournaments, an international football competition contested by the men's national teams. The countries vying to host the tournament are Australia, England, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Qatar, Russia, South Korea and United States, who have individual bids and the joint bids are from Belgium-Netherlands and Spain-Portugal.
Select bids are for 2018 and 2022 tournaments and two bids are just for the 2022 tournament. Qatar and South Korea are vying just for the 2022 tournament. The two winning bids will be chosen on December 2010 by the 24-man executive committee of FIFA.
Said FIFA president Sepp Blatter: "We are very pleased about the fantastic level of interest in our flagship competition, with all initial bidders confirming their candidature."
Among the individual bidders, England in 1966, Mexico in 1970 and 1986, Japan and South Korea in 2002, and the United States in 1994 have previously hosted the World Cup tournament. From the joint bidders, Spain hosted the tournament in 1982.
The 2010 World Cup will be held in South Africa, and Brazil will host the 2014 World Cup.
Sources
- "Fifa confirms World Cup bids list" — BBC Sport, March 17, 2009
- Associated Press. "FIFA declares 11 official bids to host World Cup" — Yahoo! Sports, March 17, 2009
- Press Release: "Confirmation of bids received" — FIFA, March 17, 2009