By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 8 – Asia will support Europe’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup, even though one of its members is campaigning to host the tournament that year, President Mohamed Bin Hammam announced today.
Bin Hammam, the leader of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), told an Extraordinary Congress in Johannesburg that they would back one of the four European bidders, England, Russia or the joint bids from the Netherlands and Belgium or Spain and Portugal.
The decision seems almost certain to persuade Australia, who are bidding for that year as well as 2022, to withdraw from 2018, leaving the United States as the only non-European country still lobbying for the tournament.
Bin Hammam told the delegates to applause that AFC would back Europe and concentrate instead of winning 2022 for one of the Asian candidates.
Besides Australia, Japan, Qatar and South Korea are all bidding for 2022.
Bin Hammam said: ”I want to assure Europe on behalf of AFC that we recognise and support their desire to host the 2018 edition.”
Bin Hammam is one of Asian four members of FIFA’s ruling Executive Committee who will vote in Zurich on December 2 to decide which countries host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
The others are South Korea’s Chung Mong Joon, Thailand’s Worawi Makudi and Japan’s Junji Ogura.
The AFC President claimed that that they were all free to support anyone they liked.
Bin Hammam said: ”It will be an open bid and everybody is free to support anyone.
“But our support is for Europe when it comes to 2018.
“The mood inside the FIFA Executive Committee is that Europe should host the 2018 version.”
England are hopeful that Bin Hammam will support their bid but he did not give any clues as to who he will support.
Bin Hammam also underlined AFC’s determination to win the rights to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
He said: ”We have four countries who are very capable of hosting the World Cup.
“And hosting the World Cup is the legitimate right of all [member associations].
“Asia will put its best foot forward.”
Bin Hammam is hoping that by supporting Europe in 2018 they will respond by backing one of the Asian bidders for 2022, freezing the US out.
There are eight European members on the FIFA Executive Committee, including England’s Geoff Thompson and Russia’s Vitaly Mutko.
Bin Hammam said: ”AFC’s four representatives on the FIFA Executive Committee are looking forward to see the World Cup back to Asia in 2022.
“Australia, Korea Republic, Japan and Qatar have already put in very strong bids to host the prestigious event.
“In this endeavour, Asia is looking for the support and motivation of our colleagues in the FIFA Executive Committee.”
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