Sepp Blatter: Russia 2018 World Cup 'agreed before vote'
- 9 years ago
Suspended Fifa president Sepp Blatter has suggested there was an agreement in place for Russia to host the 2018 World Cup - before the vote took place.
The 79-year-old told Russian news agency Tass of a "discussion" in 2010 about future World Cups.
He added a late swing in voting that gave Qatar the 2022 World Cup undid a similar agreement to hand it to the US.
The Swiss is serving a 90-day ban alongside Uefa chief Michel Platini and both deny any wrongdoing.
Asked whether it was a mistake to hold voting for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments simultaneously, Blatter replied that before the ballot: "It was agreed inside the group that we go to Russia because it has never been to eastern Europe, and for 2022 we go back to America.
The 79-year-old told Russian news agency Tass of a "discussion" in 2010 about future World Cups.
He added a late swing in voting that gave Qatar the 2022 World Cup undid a similar agreement to hand it to the US.
The Swiss is serving a 90-day ban alongside Uefa chief Michel Platini and both deny any wrongdoing.
Asked whether it was a mistake to hold voting for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments simultaneously, Blatter replied that before the ballot: "It was agreed inside the group that we go to Russia because it has never been to eastern Europe, and for 2022 we go back to America.