SoccerNews.com

US Soccer will formally announce its intention to bid for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups on Monday, the US football federation said in a statement on Thursday.

World football’s governing body, FIFA, has invited countries to express interest by Monday in either or both 2018 and 2022. It will choose the hosts of both tournaments in December 2010.

On Monday, US Soccer president Sunil Gulati is to hold a national media conference call “to discuss the federation’s intentions to submit a simultaneous bid to FIFA for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups” and to introduce the executive director of the US bid committee.

Several other nations have already notified FIFA of their intent to bid.

Japan’s football chief said Thursday that the Japan Football Association submitted a letter of intent to bid for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups while also pitching Tokyo’s candidacy to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Australia, China, England, Indonesia, Mexico, Qatar and Russia are also among countries to express interest in bidding for the World Cup. Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as Portugal and Spain, are considering joint bids.

The next World Cup, in 2010, will be staged in South Africa, and Brazil is to host the 2014 tournament.

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