(ATR) Australia has withdrawn from the contest to host the 2018 World Cup in order to channel efforts into securing the 2022 tournament. FIFA and Football Federation Australia made the announcement in a joint statement.
The USA bid is expected to follow suit, clearing the way for a European bid to stage the World Cup in eight years time.
In the statement, FIFA said that after "several months of dialogue" with Australia's bid leaders, who include chairman Frank Lowy and CEO Ben Buckley, the FFA has decided to focus its bidding campaign on 2022.
FIFA said the decision was coordinated with the eight European members of the FIFA Executive Committee.
FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke said: "The FFA and my office as well as the FIFA president have been in constant dialogue about Australia's bidding intentions since last autumn.
"The FFA have displayed an exemplary level of solidarity with Europe and the European bidding nations and were among the very first to enter into an open and constructive dialogue with me after it became apparent that there was a growing movement to stage the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Europe.
"Their announcement of today, therefore, to henceforth focus solely on bidding for the 2022 FIFA World Cup is a welcome gesture that is much appreciated by FIFA's leadership and Executive Committee. We wish to thank Mr. Lowy, the FFA and the Australian Government".
Lowy confirmed the FFA's decision to withdraw from the 2018 bid race.
"We have been in discussion with FIFA for months and it is that trusting relationship with the leadership of the governing body that has caused us to focus on 2022 and decide to leave the field for 2018 to European contenders," he said in the statement.
The decision comes amid numerous hints from FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA chief Michel Platini in recent months that the 2018 tournament is headed to a European bid.
Japan dropped out of the 2018 race last month to concentrate on landing the 2022 tournament after being advised by Blatter that the Asian bid would not be considered for the earlier competition.
FIFA today said the FFA's decision "was in planning since October 2009".
Yet in the wake of Japan's withdrawal, Australia's bid leaders had insisted they were still in the hunt to secure either the 2018 or 2022 competition.
Yesterday, the bid was dealt a blow when Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed Bin Hammam used his address to the confederation’s extraordinary congress in Johannesburg to support a European bid for the 2018 World Cup.
FIFA has refused to confirm that the 2018 World Cup will definitely be awarded to Europe. But of the nine bidders for 2018/2022, only the USA now officially remains in the running with England, Holland-Belgium, Russia and Spain/Portugal.
The USA bid led by Sunil Gulati is also expected to announce its withdrawal from the 2018 race following advice from FIFA.
It means the race for the 2022 World Cup will be a fight between Australia, Japan, South Korea, Qatar and USA.(WFI)
Blatter Running for Reelection
FIFA president Sepp Blatter says his work is not done and confirms he will stand for re-election next year.
"I would like to tell you that we are going to do it together. I’ll be ready, you’ll be ready," he told delegates at FIFA’s 60th congress in Sandton, Johannesburg, Thursday.
Later he told reporters "I’m not only motivated: I want to do it" and refused to rule out standing for a fifth term in 2015.
"I cannot say it’s the last one: you never know."
Asked if he would welcome more candidates for the 2011 presidential elections, Blatter was insistent that it was anybody’s right to stand for the presidency.
"The elections to FIFA are open," he said.
"They are not booked and reserved for one candidate.
"If there are more candidates then it will be interesting. If there are less candidates then better."
Appearing before FIFA’s 60th congress – and subsequently at a press conference – in Sandton, Blatter appeared in ebullient mood, misquoting Winston Churchill and inviting a leading football writer to chronicle his presidency.
Blatter’s big announcement of the day was of "extraordinary payments" to FIFA's member federations and confederations after underspending on its budget for last year.
He unveiled the one-off payments of $250,000 for each of FIFA's 208 member associations and $2.5 million for each of the six continental confederations.
The move follows an underspend of 18 per cent of FIFA’s budget for 2009. Delegates greeted the dividend enthusiastically and gave it unanimous approval on the congress’s electronic voting system – previously one rogue voter had voted against all other proposals put forward.
"Are the federations happy?" boomed Blatter to the loudest applause of the day.
For continuing on the scene coverage of the World Cup, be sure to visit World Football Insider.
With reporting from James Corbett and Mark Bisson.
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