Very few people within the game believe that the finals will not return to Europe in 2018 for the first time since Germany '06. That leaves the rest of the world to scrap over '22.
Significant shifts may well occur before the May 2011 deadline for final documentation, depending on attitudes within FIFA to co-hosting and Olympic awards -- Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo go head-to-head in October for the '16 Games.
Source:
Nations prepare to duke it out for 2018, 2022 World Cup host bids
Sports Illustrated
May 14, 2009
