Blatter assures Europe of free-bidding process for 2018

FIFA president Sepp Blatter told British Prime Minister Gordon Brown that the 2018 World Cup would invite bids from European nations.

Blatter has been in favour of a change to the World Cup hosting process, making it a bidding process as opposed to a combination of continental rotation and bidding.

FIFA's executive committee will likely make any formal changes at its meeting next week.

In return for the positive news for Europe, Brown threw his support behind a FIFA football initiative in Africa. That is the first of many steps Britain likely must take if it wants to host the tournament.

South Africa landed the 2010 tournament as part of a rotation system, but there were very few takers from South America for the 2014 event. With a couple of drop-outs, Brazil seems to be the only solid contender at this point.

With that in mind, Blatter, who supported the rotation system, decided it was time for an open-market change.

For 2018, Britain already has a lineup of competition, including Australia, China, Italy, Mexico and Russia. A joint bid from the triumvirate of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands also is likely, and the United States is mulling the possibility of hosting its first tournament since 1994.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.