With the current 2010 FIFA World Cup being held in South Africa and the following already been set to be held in Brazil in 2014, Australia is bidding to host the FIFA World Cup for the years of 2018 or 2022. “The FIFA World Cup is by far the biggest event on the planet,” Mr Brown said, “so hosting it would be a huge honour.”

Candidates for 2018 or 2022 should have applied until 02 February 2009, and as of now official bidders are Australia, England, Indonesia, Japan, Qatar, Russia, South Korea and United States, all individually, and Belgium in partnership with the Netherlands, as well as the joint bid of Portugal and Spain. Late bidders South Korea and Qatar will only be eligible for 2022.

The rotation system FIFA uses to choose the host nations leaves Africa and South America out of the bidding, making it favourable to other continents. In a previous meeting with FIFA’s Sepp Blatter, Australia’s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was suggested to concentrate on 2022 bid, anyhow Frank Lowy, FFA’s chairman recommitted Australia to its 2018 bid.

“Running a tournament of this magnitude and catering for the massive crowds of visitors it will attract would present significant logistical challenges, but also generate unprecedented media and public interest in Australia.   

“We want to show that Australia is behind us. Every man, woman and child. We also invite the world to show their support.

“Australia showed its events prowess with the best Olympic Games ever in Sydney in 2000, and the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006 reinforced our status as a premier sporting nation.   

“The FIFA World Cup attracts visitors from all over the world and Australia could see as many as 1 million people come here for the tournament, while 250,000 Australians are expected to travel interstate to be part of the action.   

“That would provide a massive boost to the economy, generating an estimated $3.9 billion in direct expenditure and creating the equivalent of 74,000 full time jobs.

“The entire nation should get behind this bid and governments should be doing all they can to help Football Federation Australia get across the line," Mr Brown said.