UEFA president Michel Platini wants to persuade FIFA to bring the 2018 World Cup back to Europe.
"My job is to convince FIFA that 2018 should be in Europe because we have to come back to Europe every third time," Platini said Wednesday on a visit to London.
"If we get that then the four will fight for it."
England and Russia seem to be the strongest European contenders ahead of joint bids from the Netherlands and Belgium, and Spain and Portugal after FIFA president Sepp Blatter expressed a preference for single-nation hosts.
Platini said UEFA could hold a preliminary contest to establish a single European candidate to go into the December 2010 vote so the voting isn't split among the 24 members of FIFA's executive committee.
"If FIFA decides that it is in Europe it is not a problem, because then everyone will vote for a European bid but we have to know the rules of FIFA first," Platini said.
Sapa-AP Worldcupweb.com