Australia still in the race for 2018 World Cup claims Lowy

By Duncan Mackay

January 31 – Australia are still serious contenders to host the 2018 World Cup after FIFA President Sepp Blatter (pictured) claimed he had never said that only European bidders will be considered for the tournament with the other contenders left to battle for 2022, officials there claimed today.

Blatter, speaking in Angola ahead of the African Cup of Nations final between Egypt and Ghana, tried to stifle the controversy he had sparked by his comments last week which had upset non-European bidding countries Australia, the United States and Japan, who are all campaigning for both 2018 and 2022.

Blatter insisted today he was merely pointing out that there is growing pressure from within Europe to ensure it secures the 2018 tournament, and said the bidding rules could not be changed.

“There is a movement that 2018 should go to Europe,” Blatter said.

“I said it’s a possibility only if other associations do not bid.

“It is not a decision for the [FIFA] Executive Committee to change that right of every association to bid or a World Cup.

“But the movement to go to Europe exists.”

Frank Lowy, the chairman of Football Federation Australia (FFA), insisted that he never thought Australia’s bid was in danger.

“Nothing has changed, I think there was a storm in a teacup,” Lowy told SBS’s The World Game in an interview broadcast today.

“He [Blatter] didn’t say what his position was, he simply said that there is a movement [in Europe] that wants to have the World Cup in 2018, and this is a fact.

“It’s blatantly clear what they [European nations] want, but will they get it?

“It will depend on who votes for them.

“I had breakfast with [UEFA President] Michel Platini 18 months ago and he told me Europe was pushing hard.

“He told me we had no chance [of getting 2018].

“I said, ‘Okay, we shall see.’

“We still have as good a chance as before.

“Look, we in Australia seem to be peeved by his comments and [some] think it is a conspiracy.

“They can’t exclude us, they can’t exclude the United States, they can’t exclude Japan, we have made a legitimate bid, you can’t change the goal posts in the middle of the game.”

Lowy (pictured), a 79-year-old Czech refugee who is Australia’s second richest man after founding The Westfield Group, which owns several major shopping centres around the world, enjoys close relations with Blatter and remains confident that Australia will be one of the countries chosen to host the World Cup when FIFA makes its decision at its Executive Committee meeting in Zurich on December 2.

“The [Australian] strategy was always to win one or the other, the strategy is still the same,” he said.

“I think the longer it goes the more confident I am we will win one of those two World Cups.

“Whether it’s ’18 or ’22 it makes no difference to Australia.

“It may make a difference to me because I’ll have to wait another four years, if I’m still here to see it.

“We are working in both directions and if or when we feel that we need to change course, we will change course.

“At the moment I don’t see any reason to.”

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