After the announcement of the withdrawal of the last candidate committee from a non-European association for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Europe is now assured of welcoming the 21st edition of FIFA's prestigious competition on its soil. The result will be announced at 16.00CET on 2 December in Zurich from a vote of the FIFA Executive Committee.

"This is excellent news for the UEFA member associations who are now the only ones in the running to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup," said UEFA president Michel Platini. "I am delighted for the millions of European fans who love football and will now have the opportunity to attend this competition on their own continent."

Twelve years after the successful staging of the event in Germany, the World Cup will, therefore, be held in Europe once more. "I am sure that the European national association or associations selected will be up to the challenge of hosting this event," the UEFA president added. "I now wish good luck to Belgium/Netherlands, England, Russia and Spain/Portugal, and may the best team win."