Host Selection
The bidding procedure to host the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups began in January 2009, and national associations had until 2 February 2009 to register their interest. Initially, nine countries placed bids for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but Mexico later withdrew from proceedings, and Indonesia's bid was rejected by FIFA in February 2010 after the Indonesian government failed to submit a letter to support the bid. During the bidding process, the three remaining non-UEFA nations (Australia, Japan and the United States) gradually withdrew from the 2018 bids, and the UEFA nations were thus ruled out of the 2022 bid. As such, there were eventually four bids for the 2018 FIFA World Cup: England, Russia, Netherlands/Belgium and Spain/Portugal.
The twenty-two member FIFA Executive Committee convened in Zürich on 2 December 2010 to vote to select the hosts of both tournaments. Russia won the right to be the 2018 host in the second round of voting, while the Spain/Portugal bid came second and that from Belgium/Netherlands third. England's bid to host its second tournament fell in the first round.
The voting patterns were as follows:
| Bidders | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Round 2 | |
| Russia | 9 | 13 |
| Portugal / Spain | 7 | 7 |
| Belgium / Netherlands | 4 | 2 |
| England | 2 | Eliminated |
Read more about this topic: 2018 FIFA World Cup
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