May 30, 2008

AUSTRALIA will "definitely" stage the World Cup finals in the future but the country is unlikely to host the tournament before 2022, Sepp Blatter said on the opening night of the FIFA Congress in Sydney.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy have advocated Australia as a strong candidate to host the 2018 finals, but Blatter said Europe was more likely to host that tournament because the previous two finals will have been staged in the southern hemisphere.

The 2010 finals are scheduled to be played in South Africa while Brazil has won the right to stage the 2014 tournament.

"Definitely (the World Cup finals) will be (staged in Australia)," Blatter said at the congress.

"But after the World Cup having been in South Africa and then in South America … 2018 will be very difficult after having been in the southern hemisphere.

"And to be far away, I think a (European) continental bid will be better. But in 2022 it is open."

FFA officials stuck to their guns, however, declaring it was full steam ahead for 2018.

"I don't accept that we're out of the race for 2018,'' said chief executive Ben Buckley.

"We understand there will be competition from countries within Europe. It will be hotly contested, but our 100 percent dedication and focus will be towards 2018.

"We believe we can put together a highly credentialed bid forward for 2018, and that's where our focus will be.''

Apart from Australia, rival bids are expected from European powers England, Spain, Russia and a joint Dutch-Belgian effort, along with three more from Asia - China, Japan and Qatar - and two from North America - the US and Mexico.

"There are so many contenders,'' said Blatter.

"When the bidding opens, everybody should bid for both.''

Blatter's plan is for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to be awarded simultaneously in three years' time, giving the two successful candidates maximum breathing space to plan their events.

FIFA statutes prevent the world's premier tournament from being held twice in a row on the same continent.

This means that if England, say, were successful in bidding for 2018 then the other European hopefuls would automatically be ruled out for 2022.

That might make the running easier for Australia for the 2022 event, but there has been a strong push for 2018 following the Socceroos' powerful performance in Germany in 2006, when they caused huge problems in a round of 16 match against eventual champions Italy.

Blatter said there was a move in Europe to agree on one candidate for 2018.

"They want to make sure there will be only one candidate in order to maintain their best chance,'' he said.

"I have also heard that in the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) they would do the same.''

If that is the case, then Australia might be in for a diplomatic arm wrestle with China.

But Blatter added: "I have to repeat, it is a fundamental right of a national association to bid for any competition.''