Soccer-FIFA sets Feb 2 deadline for World Cup bidders

By Mark Ledsom

BERNE, Switzerland, Jan 15 (Reuters) - FIFA has called on potential bidders for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to formally express their interest by a deadline of February 2.

In a circular letter sent to national associations on Thursday, FIFA said it was officially launching the simultaneous bidding process for the two events which will be awarded to the successful candidates in December 2010.

The letter, also published on FIFA's website (www.fifa.com), sets out the planned timeframe for the bidding process and also gives a first indication of what potential hosts are expected to provide.

Several countries, including England, Spain and Portugal, Netherlands and Belgium, Australia, China, Mexico and Russia have already expressed interests in staging one or other of the tournaments.

FIFA said that the "infrastructure and facilities in the host county must be of the highest quality", adding that approximately 12 stadiums with minimum capacities of 40,000 would be required.

Stadiums earmarked for staging the World Cup final would need to hold at least 80,000 spectators, the letter added.

FIFA said it would call on bidders to provide top quality broadcasting, information technology, transport and accommodation but said it also wanted the tournaments "to benefit the game of football itself and society in general."

The letter said that further details would be set out in the bid documents to be sent to associations who express an interest by the February 2 deadline.