Australia pull out of 2018 World Cup to concentrate on 2022

By David Owen in Johannesburg

June 10 – Australia tonight announced that it was pulling out of the race to host the 2018 World Cup to concentrate on its efforts to stage the 2022 competition.

The widely expected move, which came on the eve of the opening match of the first World Cup on African soil, will ratchet up pressure on the United States to make a similar statement.

The US is the last remaining non-European runner in the 2018 race, which now looks all but certain to be awarded to one of the four European contestants – Belgium/Holland, England, Russia and Spain/Portugal.

Significantly, the Australian announcement came in the form of a joint statement by Football Federation Australia (FFA) chairman Frank Lowy and FIFA general secretary Jèrôme Valcke.

The statement read as follows: “Football Federation Australia, in a joint statement with FIFA, announced today that it will focus its bidding campaign on 2022.

“The decision, which was co-ordinated with European Executive Committee members, has been welcomed by FIFA, whose CEO Jèrôme Valcke said: ‘The FFA and my office as well as the FIFA President have been in constant dialogue about Australia’s bidding intentions since last autumn.

“‘The FFA have displayed an exemplary level of solidarity with Europe and the European Bidding Nations and were among the very first to enter into an open and constructive dialogue with me after it became apparent that there was a growing movement to stage the 2018 World Cup in Europe.

“‘Their announcement of today therefore, to henceforth focus solely on bidding for the 2022 World Cup, is a welcome gesture that is much appreciated by FIFA’s leadership and Executive Committee.

“‘We wish to thank Mr Lowy, the FFA and the Australian Government.’

“FFA chairman Frank Lowy confirmed his Federation’s decision to withdraw from the 2018 bid to concentrate on 2022.

“‘We have been in discussion with FIFA for months and it is that trusting relationship with the leadership of the governing body that has caused us to focus on 2022 and decide to leave the field for 2018 to European contenders.’

“The FFA’s decision was in planning since October 2009 and its leadership, after careful consideration and analysis, has now decided to focus its bidding on 2022.”

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