Soccer: US favoured for Cup

Fifa president Sepp Blatter yesterday cast doubt on Australia's chances of hosting the 2018 soccer World Cup in comments which placed the United States in pole position.

England's chances also took a dive as Blatter said he wanted to extend the system of rotating the finals between Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America beyond 2014.

That would make the United States, which has already declared its interest in hosting the 2018 tournament, the best-placed country with the Asian confederation, which now includes Australia, next in line.