(ATR) FIFA says its policy of rotating the World Cup by continent is over. The decision puts the 2018 World Cup up for grabs, with the U.S., England and Australia among the likely bidders.
The policy created in 2000 led to South Africa hosting the 2010 World Cup. But with Brazil the only bidder for 2014 from South America, FIFA president Sepp Blatter called for a review of the continental rotation.
"The 2018 World Cup market will be an open market with the exception naturally of that continent that will organize it in 2014 in South America," Blatter said.
He added that the interest is high in bidding for 2018.
England’s soccer governing body, the Football Association, welcomed the change and hoped that it would lead to the country hosting the tournament for the first time since 1966.
“While we are still to confirm if we will launch a bid to host the 2018 World Cup, today’s news is very encouraging,” said FA Chief Executive Brian Barwick. "It is exactly what we were hoping for and we will now discuss a timetable for a potential bid.”
However, Chuck Blazer, an American member of the FIFA’s executive committee said that he was disappointed that the rotation wasn’t allowed to continue in 2018, when that year’s World Cup would have gone to the CONCACAF region.
"On the basis of equity I would have liked to have seen the rotation followed through by completing the process in the CONCACAF region in 2018," Blazer told reporters following the committee meetings.
"It's disappointing but it was expected and it has at least seen an improvement of the old rules.”
The official announcement of the host country for the 2014 World Cup is scheduled for tomorrow morning. Bidding for the 2018 World Cup closes in 2010.
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