Russia & Qatar will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups

Russia and Qatar have been chosen to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals respectively after a secret ballot of Fifa’s 22 executive members in Zurich.

Russia was selected ahead of co-bidders Spain-Portugal and Holland-Belgium and England, which won only two votes.

Qatar defeated bids from South Korea, Japan, Australia and the United States.

“You have entrusted us with the Fifa World Cup for 2018 and I can promise you will never regret it,” said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov.

Russia received nine votes in the first round of voting and an outright majority of 13 in the second round, while Qatar obtained an outright majority of 14 in the fourth round of voting for 2022.

It is the first time that either Russia or Qatar has been chosen as host nation for the World Cup.

“Let us make history together,” Shuvalov added.

Russia’s selection comes despite the absence of Prime Minister Valdimir Putin from the vote in Switzerland.

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