MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia outbid England, Portugal, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands to win World Cup 2018 hosting rights on December 2, 2010. Qatar was awarded the 2022 honors over four candidates, including the United States.
"It’s five years now after the voting took place and for five years we’ve been hearing a lot of speculation but never any concrete evidence of any wrongdoing. Therefore, now we should really focus on delivering the best World Cup ever in Russia 2018 and in Qatar 2022," Infantino told the R-Sport agency.
Infantino, who said he has visited Russia "on several occasions in the recent past," stressed the "excellent work" carried out by the Russian Football Union and the Local Organizing Committee.
"So let’s work together to make Russia 2018 a huge success," he underscored.
The next president of the world football governing body, whose previous leader and his associate have been suspended from all football-related activities last month, is expected to be elected on February 26.
