Australia would back 2018 World Cup bid-PM Howard

Sports/Olympics / Team News

 Australia would back 2018 World Cup bid-PM Howard
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-07-14 17:11

Heads of Australia's local governments said on Friday they would support
a bid to host the 2018 World Cup.

The possibility of bidding for the right to host the tournament was
discussed at an annual meeting between the national government and the
heads of the eight state and territory governments.

"All governments agree enthusiastically that if the national body, the
Football Federation of Australia, put in a bid for the 2018 World Cup
then all governments would support that bid very enthusiastically," Prime
Minister John Howard told reporters in Canberra.

Australia reached the World Cup finals in Germany for the first time in
32 years and surprised many by reaching the second round, where they were
knocked out by eventual champions Italy.

Soccer has struggled to gain a foothold in Australia behind rugby,
cricket, rugby league and Australian rules football, but the World Cup
transfixed fans across the nation despite matches being played late at
night or early in the morning local time.

Australian officials are already considering lodging a late bid to stage
the 2011 Asian Cup as part of a plan to host the game's showpiece event
in 2018 or 2022.

Football Federation Australia has said Australia wanted to host the Asian
Cup to prove it could host the World Cup.

FFA Chief Executive John O'Neill has said several times in recent months
that a bid for the 2018 World Cup was seen as "putting a stake in the
ground for 2022", meaning that the latter bid was more likely to be
successful.

The 2010 World Cup will be held in South Africa while the 2014 event is
to be staged in South America. A decision on the 2018 tournament is not
expected to be made until 2012. Australia successfully hosted the Sydney
2000 Olympics as well as the Rugby World Cup in 2003 and the Commonwealth
Games in Melbourne in March this year.

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