SYDNEY, Sept 6 - Oceania and Australia are
considering a joint bid to stage the 2018 World Cup, Australian
officials said on Tuesday.
John O'Neill, the chief executive of the Football Federation
of Australia (FFA), told Australian Associated Press Oceania
would present their proposal to FIFA at this weekend's Congress
in Morocco.
Oceania and Africa are the only FIFA confederations never to
have staged the World Cup, although South Africa will host the
tournament in 2010.
South America is due to stage the tournament in 2014 but
there is still no decision on 2018.
"In 2006 the Cup is in Europe, in 2010 it's Africa, 2014
will be South America, and in 2018 it's our turn," O'Neill said.
"(The OFC) are prepared to put us up as host, with some
matches to be in New Zealand."
O'Neill, who was in charge of organising the 2003 Rugby
World Cup in Australia, said the bid was reliant on FIFA
approval as Australia were planning to leave Oceania and join
the Asian Football Confederation.