England pulls out of 2022 World Cup bid race, as US move leaves 2018 clear for European bid

Zurich: England has pulled out of the 2022 World Cup hosting race after the United States withdrew its bid to host in 2018.

The US decision to focus its efforts on the '22 contest guaranteed that the 2018 tournament will be played in Europe.

England's move was then a formality as Fifa rules stipulate that successive World Cups cannot be played on the same continent.

The 2018 World Cup race is now between England, Russia or the joint bids of Netherlands-Belgium and Spain-Portugal.

The 2022 race has the US and the four Asian confederation candidates Australia, Japan, Qatar and South Korea.

FIFA will choose both hosts on December 2.