By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
June 12 – The United States does not have any plans at the moment to withdraw its bid for the 2018 World Cup, even though they are the only non-European bidders left following the decision of Australia earlier this week to concentrate on winning the right to host the 2022 tournament.
Sunil Gulati, the President of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), claimed that they would wait until later in the year before making a decision.
He told ESPN: “Australia’s decision doesn’t change our thinking at all.”
Australia withdrew because it is now widely accepted that the 2018 World Cup will be awarded to one of the four European bidders, England or Russia or joint bidders, Netherlands and Belgium or Spain and Portugal.
Gulati said: “We’ve acknowledged that sentiment for a long time.
“We acknowledged it the day we announced we were bidding for two World Cups, but that hasn’t changed our view.”
Gulati revealed that the US will take a final decision in October after FIFA have announced the voting procedures for the vote in Zurich on December 2, where they will be awarding both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
He said: ”If we had any alteration of plans, I don’t see why we would be doing anything until we know what the voting procedures will be.”
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