LONDON - Australia's top football official accepts there is a clamor for Europe to stage the 2018 World Cup, but the campaign is still focused on hosting the event then or in 2022.

Australia - like the European nations - are competing for either tournament in the dual FIFA vote in December, but FIFA president Sepp Blatter indicated this week that talks were under way to confine the 2018 vote to Europe.

While the Australia Football Federation is yet to be informed of any rule change, chief executive Ben Buckley wouldn't be surprised that was the case.

“We always understood there would be a strong push for Europe for 2018,” Buckley told The Associated Press on Thursday. “We have a first class set of advisers who have kept us abreast of developments as they unfold over the last 18 months to two years.

“Our strategy doesn't change. We've always said we are bidding for both and if we believe it is in our best interests to focus on 2022 then that's what we will do.” There is a belief in world football that legal complexities could prevent FIFA limiting 2018 to European nations, with bidders expecting an informal agreement to emerge.

The global field chasing either 2018 or དྷ also includes Japan and Russia, but Indonesia, Qatar and South Korea have already declared they will concentrate on the latter tournament.

The European challenge comes from England and Russia, along with joint campaigns from Spain-Portugal and Belgium-Netherlands.

A priority for Australia is convincing FIFA's 24-man executive committee - including eight UEFA members - to take the tournament to Australasia for the first time despite not being in a favorable European time zone.

Sydney is 10 hours ahead of London and 15 behind New York, but Buckley insists that Australia is well-placed to attract new fans.

“We still need to continue to build our reputation,” Buckley said during a brief stopover in London en route to Angola for Sunday's African Cup of Nations final. “The key thing is to ensure that when FIFA makes their decisions they understand there will be a really strong legacy for football in our region. It's a region where two-thirds of the world's population resides.

“It's a region that could benefit greatly from the supercharge effect a World Cup could have. We are the only continent that hasn't hosted the World Cup and we also reside in the world's fastest growing economy.” The Australian government has already pledged 45 million Australian dollars ($25 million) in funding for the bid.

And Buckley highlights how Australia escaped the international recession during the global financial crisis.

“What it indicates is that Australia and the government of Australia has the ability to manage through difficult circumstances and is a safe pair of hands,” Buckley said.

“We are a country that knows how to host major tournaments. I'm guessing the economic performances in recent times demonstrate that we are a country that can manage difficult and complex situations - and come through in very good shape.” The World Cup first went to Asia in 2002 when it was co-hosted by Japan and South Korea, and Buckley points to the riches FIFA could reap from the region by taking the tournament to Australia.

“There is an incredible amount of commercial potential already in Asia, but over the next 10 to 12 years it will just increase exponentially,” Buckley said. “We have already seen the significant amount of Asian corporations now looking to market themselves to the world. It is an untapped potential gold mine for FIFA and, for the World Cup long-term, the Asian economy will be the richest in the world.” What Australia can offer unlike many of the rival non-European bids is a national team growing in strength on the pitch. After a 32-year absence from the World Cup, the Aussies reached the last 16 at Germany 2006.

Buckley knows the importance of an equally strong performance in South Africa later this year, despite facing Germany, Serbia and African Cup finalist Ghana in the group stage.

“Our reputation as a football nation took a big leap forward from what happened in 2006 in Germany,” said Buckley, a former Aussie Rules footballer. “We hope to replicate that at least and go better if things go our way.

“Building an off-field reputation is very important, not just because of the bid, but to enhance our standing in the football world.”