Manama: US Secretary of State has offered public congratulations to Qatar for being selected to stage the World Cup finals in 2022.

"Let me congratulate Qatar on its being named for the World Cup in 2022," she said in her speech to the Manama Dialogue. "More proof that this region is at the leading edge of leading world affairs."

Fifa, the world football body, last week picked Qatar as the venue for the cup finals, making it the first Arab, Muslim and Middle Eastern country to host the world's most viewed competition.

The US had a tabled a bid for the 2022 World Cup alongside Qatar, Japan, South Korea and Australia, but Fifa's executive committee 22 members chose Qatar in a decision made in a secret ballot at its Zurich headquarters on Thursday.

Initial US reactions were harshly critical of the selection.

The 2018 World Cup will be hosted by Russia, the world's largest country.