FFA chief executive Ben Buckley claimed that Adelaide must have a new stadium or it will be excluded from Australia's bid.

 

But South Australia's Transport Minister Michael Wright says Adelaide's existing stadiums are already adequate for hosting world-class sporting events.

 

He said: "We've said consistently that we won't be building a new stadium and any threat by the FFA is not going to make any difference to this Government's priorities.

 

"Our priority is to build a new hospital, not a new stadium.

 

"We've already got world-class stadiums in Adelaide.

 

"We believe that the money that is committed to both Football Park and to Adelaide Oval will ensure that they are of a standard that will very much qualify Adelaide for a World Cup bid."

 

Work is already underway to upgrade both Football Park at West Lakes and Adelaide Oval in the city.

 

Last year South Australia's Government attracted criticism after they refused to put Adelaide forward as a candidate to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

 

Australia later said that it would not bid for the Games anyway because the Federal Government was concentrating on trying to win the right to host the World Cup.

 

World Cup candidates must at least 12 stadiums capable of seating 40,000 spectators and another one that can accommodate 80,000 for the opening match and final.

 

Australia are one of 11 bidders for the 2018 World Cup.

 

England are the favourites.

 

The other bidders are Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Qatar, Russia, South Korea and the United States. 

 

There are also joint bids from Belgium-Netherlands and Portugal-Spain.