World Cup 2018 still open despite Euro pressure - FIFA

The 2018 World Cup finals could be held in Asia or the United States, even though pressure is growing to restrict the bidding only to European candidates, FIFA president Sepp Blatter said.

Blatter repeated the view he expressed recently in Madrid when he suggested that the bidding might be changed for European candidates only, but at the moment it remained open to all the candidates.

"When FIFA opened the bidding procedure for 2018 and 2022 it was open for everybody with the exception of Africa and South America because they are organizing the 2010 and 2014 World Cups," Blatter told reporters.

"We now have the candidatures of the US, for 2018 and 2022, four candidatures from Europe, we have Australia and then we have the Asian ones: South Korea, Japan and Qatar, Indonesia.

"There is a movement that 2018 should go to Europe.

"I said it's a possibility only if other associations do not bid. It is not a decision for the executive committee to change that right of every association to bid for a World Cup.

"But the movement to go to Europe exists."

The decision on who will stage both the 2018 and 2022 finals will be taken by FIFA's executive committee in December.