FIFA announces 2018, 2022 WC hosts

PTV – ZURICH, The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has selected Russia as the host nation for the 2018 and Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup games.

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter announced the result of the FIFA Executive Committee’s vote at Zurich Exhibition Centre on Thursday.

Russia beat off competition from England, Spain/Portugal and Netherlands/Belgium.

Qatar was named the 2022 World Cup host from a group of countries which included Australia, the United States, South Korea and Japan.

Political and sports figures were present at the Zurich meeting to support their home nations’ bids, with world media and journalists covering the event.

“I have to say thanks to the Executive Committee of FIFA because for 2018 and 2022 we go to new lands, because the FIFA World Cup has never been in eastern Europe or the Middle East. So, I’m a happy President when we speak of the development of football,” Blatter was quoted by FIFA’s official website as saying.

Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov promised that FIFA would never regret its decision.

Qatar’s representative present at FIFA’s Zurich meeting, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Thani, also expressed gratitude for hosting the 2022 tournament.

The FIFA World Cup is an international association football competition contested by the senior men’s national teams of the members of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).

The championship has been awarded every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the Second World War.

The current champion is Spain, who won the 2010 tournament, and the 2014 tournament is to be held in Brazil.