With South Africa due to stage the 2010 tournament and Brazil the 2014 edition, world governing body FIFA are expected to choose a European country for 2018.

 

England and Russia have already made public their intentions to put forward bids but there also expected to be joint efforts from Belgium-Netherlands and Portugal-Spain.

 

FIFA are expected to award both the 2018 and 2022 tournaments at the same time - probably in 2011 - to exploit marketing opportunities and its President Sepp Blatter suggested earlier this year during the governing body's annual congress in Sydney that Australia would have more chance of staging the later event.

 

But Ben Buckley, the chief executive of Football Federation Australia (AFA), said: "We're 100 per cent focused on 2018 and that's where all our energies and efforts are being dedicated.

 

"We believe we will be a very strong competitor and ultimately we intend to be successful.

 

"The actual timeline hasn't been set out definitely by FIFA yet, but if previous scenarios are a guide we'll have to prepare the bid within the next two years.

 

"We've put a very strong submission to the Government, and they're considering that at the moment.''

 

A cost-benefit analysis of hosting a World Cup by consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers is believed to anticipate billions of Australian dollars of extra economic activity.

 

Buckley said: "The Government have indicated very strong support in principle and we've submitted what funding we think will be required to mount a successful bid, plus a very detailed economic analysis which is with the Federal Government now."