FIFA chief Blatter has advised Australia its chances of hosting a World Cup would be much greater in 2022 when the tournament will be due to head back to the southern hemisphere.

He added that competition to host the 2022 World Cup may not be as fierce as the fight to win the 2018 event, which has attracted bids from 10 countries.

America, Mexico, England, Spain, Netherlands/Belgium, Qatar, China, Russia, Japan and Australia are in the race to stage the 2018 World Cup.

England and the European nations are the early favourites.

FIFA will ask all interested countries to lobby for both the 2018 and 2022 tournaments before announcing the successful candidates simultaneously in 2011.

Despite Blatter's strong suggestion it look at 2022, the FFA still has its sights set on 2018, with chief executive Ben Buckley declaring on Friday: "I don't accept that we're out of the race."

"We understand there will be competition from countries within Europe and it will be hotly contested, but our 100 per cent dedication and focus will be towards 2018."

"We believe we can put together a highly-credentialed bid forward for 2018 and that's where our focus will be."

But the FFA's bid appears futile.

Blatter indicated FIFA would be highly unlikely to award the World Cup to another southern hemisphere nation, with South Africa (2010) and Brazil (2014) to host the next two tournaments.

"It would be a logical approach for the 2018 competition to go back (to the northern hemisphere)," he said at the completion of FIFA's annual congress in Sydney on Friday.

"They (Australia) are advocating for 2018 but 2018 will be very difficult after having been already in the southern hemisphere and to be far away."

"But in 2022, it's open."

Explaining the decision to make a dual announcement on the 2018 and 2022 hosts, Blatter said: "We can offer two competitions for eight years and the economic result for sponsors would be better."

"You would also have inside FIFA some relief."

Meanwhile FIFA and the FFA confirmed on Friday evening that a delegate to the 58th FIFA Congress, held in Sydney, had been taken to St Vincent’s Hospital after being hit by a car outside the Four Seasons Hotel in George Street, Sydney, today.

Medical staff at St Vincent’s Hospital have advised FIFA and FFA that the delegate is in a stable condition.

The delegate is undertaking tests and observation at St Vincent’s and is expected to remain in hospital until he is fit to travel and return to his home country.