LONDON: England could feasibly step in and host the 2018 World Cup if it was stripped from Russia over new corruption allegations, a Football Association spokesman said on Thursday.
Swiss authorities have launched a criminal investigation linked to fraud in the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, awarded to Russia and Qatar respectively, while 14 people, including nine current and former officials from world governing body FIFA, have been arrested on corruption charges in a separate US probe.
FIFA has dismissed calls for a re-vote and Russia has denied all accusations of wrongdoing, but when asked if England could host a World Cup in 2018, an FA spokesman told reporters: "We absolutely could." However, he also said that the FA expects the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to take place in Russia and Qatar as planned.
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