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By Duncan Mackay
February 1 – It is too early to evaluate the strength of the candidates who want to host the 2018 World Cup, the head of Russia’s bid Alexey Sorokin (pictured) has claimed.
By Duncan Mackay
January 31 – Australia are still serious contenders to host the 2018 World Cup after FIFA President Sepp Blatter (pictured) claimed he had never said that only European bidders will be considered for the tournament with the other contenders left to battle for 2022, officials there claimed today.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 30 – Bora Milutinović, the only man to have coached five different teams at the World Cup, is the latest high-profile ambassador to join Qatar’s bid to stage the 2022 tournament.
By Steven Downes
January 29 – David Beckham (pictured) will not retire after this summer’s World Cup finals, according to one of his most recent club managers.
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January 27 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter (pictured) is coming under pressure to backtrack on his claim that only European nations may be considered as hosts for the 2018 World Cup.
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By Duncan Mackay
January 26 – Only European nations should be considered to host the 2018 World Cup, FIFA President Sepp Blatter (pictured) has claimed in a move which would leave Australia and the United States battling for the right to host the 2022 tournament.
By Duncan Mackay
January 26 – Rod Allen (pictured), a former journalist, has been appointed as Football Federation Australia’s (FFA) new head of media relations, including handling the country’s bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, following the shock departure of Bonita Mersiades.
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January 26 – Bidding countries, including England led by former Liverpool striker John Barnes (pictured), are beginning to arrive in Angola for the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which has controversially been sponsored by Qatar 2022.
By Duncan Mackay
January 24 – Bonita Mersiades (pictured), a key member of Australia’s campaign to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, has quit unexpectedly on the eve of a planned trip to Angola to lobby on behalf of the bid.
By Duncan Mackay
January 24 – South Korea’s President Lee Myung-bak (pictured) is set to meet FIFA President Sepp Blatter on Wednesday (January 27) to lobby on behalf of his country’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup.
January 23 – Two of South Africa’s World Cup venues have witnessed their first matches in preparation for the tournament, including in Cape Town, where England are due to play Algeria.
By Andrew Warshaw
January 23 – Markus Siegler (pictured), the newly appointed special advisor to Russia’s 2018 World Cup bid, insists the country has all the has necessary attributes to stage the tournament and is determined to use his unique contacts to bring it about.
January 23 – Former Liverpool and England striker Robbie Fowler (pictured) has hit out at the critics of Australia’s bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, claiming that they do not understand how huge the event is.
January 22 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter today met Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow to discuss Russia’s bid to host the 2018 or the 2022 World Cup.
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By Andrew Warshaw
January 22 – FIFA President Sepp Blatter is in Moscow for an update on the country’s bid to stage the 2018 World Cup.