SWITZERLAND: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - FIFA end World Cup rotation policy

FIFA's Executive Committee decides to end its rotation policy, opening the bidding race for the 2018 World Cup. FIFA's Executive Committee have decided on Monday (October 29) to end its rotation policy, and to keep the bidding competition open to all continents except Africa and South America for the 2018 World Cup. FIFA president Sepp Blatter announced the change at a news conference in Zurich. "The World Cup 2018 is open to all national associations of the continents that have not organised the two last World Cups. It means that for 2018 Africa cannot bid, and South America, always in prevision of the decision of tomorrow, but there are not a lot of candidates available, the FIFA president said. "So, with these exceptions, then it is open, it is open therefore, also for Europe, it is open for Asia, and it is open for CONCACAF. It will also be open for Oceania", Blatter added. South Africa are hosting the 2010 World Cup with South America the designated region for 2014, Brazil being the only bidding candidate. CONCACAF, representing North and Central America and the Caribbean, would have been next, with the United States, Canada and Mexico all considering bidding. CONCACAF members can still bid but will now have to do so against countries from other confederations. Blatter explained that a rotation policy would only have blocked a necessary competition in the bidding race to host the World Cup. "What we have done in the first part of the rotation, at least we have ensured that Africa can have once the World Cup, and secondly that also South America will have the World Cup. Now let's open the market but with these regulations that the two past cannot bid. But definitely, to organise the World Cup with 32 teams and now the World Cup with such a dimension that this World Cup has taken, then a small country has difficulties to deliver all the guarantees necessary for the organisation of such an event", he said. Brazil are expected to be named as the 2014 hosts on Tuesday and Blatter said he would have backed their bid even if they had faced opposition from other countries.

ITN Source | October 30, 2007

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