FIFA Director General says 2018, 2022 bidding campaigns in line with regulations

Baku. 14 November. REPORT.AZ/ Jerome Valcke, the director general of the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA), said the decision of the global football body to snub all allegations about violations in the selection process of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup events was important to prove the professional organization of the bidding procedure.

“It was a very important report and decision by the ethics committee meaning that the bidding process was professionally organized,” Valcke told a news conference. “There is no question about the validity of the decision that Russia and Qatar will host the World Cups.”

Hans-Joachim Eckert, the chairman of the FIFA adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee, said in his statement on Thursday that the bidding and the selection process to determine the hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, which are Russia and Qatar respectively, were held in line with all the necessary regulations, reports Report citing TASS.

Valcke also said that FIFA was long considering the issue of changing the selection process of World Cup hosting countries. According to FIFA’s mooted plans, the organization’s Executive Committee will be compiling the short-list of the candidate states, while FIFA’s Congress will be making the final decision.

“We don't know yet when this bidding process will start, we are talking about the World Cup of 2026,” Valcke said.

FIFA director general, who is currently on a visit to South Africa taking part in the 2010 World Cup Legacy Trust conference, said he will be next week in Russia’s southern resort city of Sochi for talks with Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko on the preparations for the 2018 World Cup.

“It will be an ordinary agenda about stadium readiness, infrastructure, marketing, ticketing, TV, accommodation, transport, etc,” Valcke said commenting on the upcoming talks. “We will touch on all the main items which are part of the organization of the World Cup.”