FIFA are expected to decide tomorrow to change their system of rotating the World Cup finals between the continents.
The decision would open the way for England to launch a bid to host the 2018
tournament.
England would be likely to face a number of other strong challengers however
including Russia, China, Australia and USA or Mexico, and possibly a Benelux
joint bid from Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg.
FIFA's executive committee, meeting in Zurich tomorrow, are to examine various
options including whether more than one country from each continent can bid.
Under the current rotation system, the World Cup went to Africa for 2010
(South Africa won the contest), South America for 2014 and if rotation continued
would go to a country from north and central America or the Caribbean in 2018.
However FIFA president Sepp Blatter was concerned that only one country -
Brazil - bid for 2014 and said last week that he favoured a change.
Blatter said: 'My thoughts are that we shall open the market and make the
World Cup available for everybody apart from the last confederation which has
just organised it, which means South America cannot bid for 2018.'
The FIFA president should get his way as the majority of the 23 FIFA executive
members who meet in Zurich tomorrow are understood to be of the same opinion.
Once the decision is taken then the Football Association can formally launch a
bid for 2018.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has already made clear he would like to see a bid
take place and has appointed former sports minister Richard Caborn as his World
Cup ambassador.
Caborn said: 'The Government have underlined their commitment to supporting
the Football Association on any bid they may make for 2018, should FIFA allow
that to happen.'
