Kissinger was recruited by US Soccer to join its bid committee to present FIFA with proposals to stage a second World Cup in the United States.

 

He had also been instrumental in helping the US win its bid to host the 1994 World Cup, an event widely acknowledged to have been one of the most successful tournaments staged.

 

Kissinger said: "I was on the board in '94, actively involved, and went to a lot of the games.

 

"I've gone to every World Cup [since] except the one in Japan [and South Korea in 2002]."

 

Kissinger, who is now 85, played a significant role in US Foreign Policy between 1969 and 1977 and is a former Nobel Peace prize winner.

 

He has long been a fan of football, regularly attending matches at Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea when he was on business in Britain.

 

England are the favourites to be awarded the 2018 World Cup tournament.

 

Kissinger said: "I obviously want the World Cup to come here.

 

"I don't think we have a huge chance in 2018, it will probably go to Europe, but you can't tell.

 

"We have a good chance for 2022.

 

 "I'll be 99 years old [in 2022], so it's sort of an obligation to stay around."

 

Apart from the US and England, other formal expressions of interest in bidding for 2018 or 2022 have come from Australia, Japan, Qatar, Mexico, Russia, Indonesia and South Korea.

 

There are also joint proposals from Belgium and Netherlands and Spain and Portugal.

 

A decision on both tournaments is due to be announced by FIFA at a meeting in December 2010.

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