Blatter has told reporters that two successive World Cup tournaments in southern hemisphere countries would make it difficult to award the 2018 tournament to another nation in that zone.

England is the hot favourite to host the 2018 World Cup, catering for the enormous European football market. There is also the fact that the so-called home of football has not hosted the event since 1966.

But there is still hope for Australia hosting the 2022 World Cup.

Blatter said: "They (Australia)are bidding for 2018 but 2018 will be very difficult after having already been in the southern hemisphere (South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014). But for 2022 it's open."

If the FFA's bid for 2018 does fail, there may still be light at the end of the tunnel.

In a FIFA 'first' the hosts for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will be announced at the same time. The successful bidders will both be informed within the next three years - expected to be 2011.

Australia insists it is deadly serious about submitting a top class bid for the 2018 event with full support from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his government.

FFA chief Frank Lowy believes Australia's standing in world football has been sent soaring this week as a result of hosting the FIFA Congress with numerous opportunities to make new and influential friends.

He believes the congress has been a wonderful way of demonstrating that Australia is more than capable of delivering events of huge importance.

Lowy said: "I can't tell you what a big advantage it is having everyone here. We can show our hospitality, we can show our ability to organise and we can show that when we undertake to do something we'll do it well."