LONDON - THE English FA said on Saturday it welcomed Fifa's plan to combine the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
England staged the World Cup in 1966, when they won it for the only time, and the FA has already put in motion plans to bid for the 2018 event. A decision on the two hosts will be made in December 2010.
Belgian and Netherlands to bid for 2018 and 2022 World Cups
THE HAGUE - THE Netherlands and Belgium, who are bidding for a joint hosting of the 2018 World Cup, will also be candidates to organise the 2022 event, the Dutch football federation said on Saturday.
The decision came after world football's governing body Fifa said at their Congress in Tokyo that they would allow those bidding for the 2018 World Cup to also try and go for the 2022 tournament too provided they were from a different continent than the 2018 winners.
'Fifa's announcement effectively sets the ball rolling on the whole process ... this marks the start of an intense but exciting period,' FA chairman and bid chairman Lord Triesman told his organisation's website. 'We'll be officially registering our intent at the earliest opportunity in the New Year.
'The bid strategy will continue to focus on a presentation that prepares England for a tournament in 2018 but the team will now study today's announcement to ensure complete understanding of the process required by Fifa and the wider option available.'
Fifa's announcement in Tokyo earlier on Saturday made it clear countries could, if they wished, bid for both World Cups.
South Africa will host the 2010 edition, with Brazil in the hot seat in 2014. England, Spain, Australia, China, Mexico, Russia, and Netherlands and Belgium jointly have expressed interest in hosting subsequent tournaments.
Strong candidate 'England will be a strong candidate but there are other strong candidates,' said Fifa president Sepp Blatter after world soccer's ruling body announced the new plan.
'There is Spain alone, or in conjunction with Portugal. We have another interesting document from the Netherlands and Belgium together. Maybe Qatar, not having been considered for the Olympics, will go for the World Cup. The fight is open.'
Lord Triesman said: 'The announcement of a dual process doesn't affect our planning at all.
'Our mission is to ensure we have the support of everyone around the country so the world knows England not only has the infrastructure to stage a tournament but also the enthusiasm to make it the best possible event in World Cup history.
'We are determined a World Cup in England will leave a lasting legacy for the development of world football.
'We hope to be able to formally deliver our intention to bid to Fifa in the New Year but the task from today is to build on the work we've already done and continue putting together a project that involves and inspires the whole of the country.' -- REUTERS
