CONCACAF asserts right to host 2018 World Cup

The hopes of an open-bidding process for the World Cup might be a hope only, and not a reality.

With FIFA president Sepp Blatter pushing for a an end to continental rotation and an open bidding process – and England pinning its hopes in such a change – CONCACAF general secretary Chuck Blazer said 2018 is his confederation's turn.

Blazer implied that Blatter's plan might not through at the executive meeting this week. Blazer is for a change, just not when it interferes with CONCACAF's interests throughout North and Central America.

"I am all in favour of lifting rotation because you need competition between the confederations to get a better World Cup – but not in 2018," Blazer said. "Asia hosted in 2002, then Europe, then in 2010 it will be South Africa and, in 2014, South America. The cycle must be allowed to complete itself, which means us in 2018.

"Afterwards by all means open it up."

Blatter had urged the English to follow with a bid when the process opened up. German World Cup organiser Franz Beckenbauer had given the nation an endorsement as well.

But Blazer emphasised that, even should the bidding system become a reality in 2018, that gave England no guarantee of hosting the tournament. Australia, China, Russia and the threesome of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands were interested in bidding.

Even with those nations in, it's another CONCACAF roadblock for England. Confederation president Jack Warner was accused by BBC programme Panorama of trying to funnel money from a friendly into his bank account. Warner denied those allegations and called England an irritant to world football.

Now it will all come down to the voting this week. The trouble is, no one seems to know if Europe will stay unified.

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