Australia plotting Asian and World Cup double
SYDNEY - Australian soccer officials are hoping to land a hosting double this year by winning the rights to stage both the 2015 Asian Cup and the World Cup in either 2018 and 2022.
The Football Federation of Australia (FFA) have officially lodged bids to host both events and believe they might already have one of them in the bag.
"At this stage we're the only country that has put our name forward for the 2015 Asian Cup," FFA chief executive Ben Buckley told reporters.
"Expressions of interest or intentions to bid closed off some time ago.
"There's nothing that we've heard or seen that would suggest any other country is planning to host the Asian Cup."
The Asian Football Confederation is not scheduled to annouce the 2015 host until 2011 but with only one bidder, Australian media have reported the announcement could be brought forward to November this year.
That is the month before the world's governing body FIFA will decide the hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, of which Australia is one of 11 potential bidders.
Buckley said he hoped winning the right to stage the Asian Cup would benefit Australia's World Cup prospects.
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"I think it's a good test case for Australia if we were to be hosting a World Cup," he said.
"To hold an international tournament of that magnitude and that scale would be a good test of Australia's readiness for a World Cup."