World Cup vote to go ahead says Sepp Blatter

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has confirmed the vote to decide who will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups is to take place as scheduled on December 2.

The decision was taken at this week's executive committee meeting in Zurich, despite two members serving a suspension following allegations of corruption.

"We are five weeks from the final decision so there was never a question of changing anything in the procedure," said Blatter.

"So on December 2, here in Zurich, the executive committee of FIFA will decide in a secret ballot the national associations who are hosts for the World Cup 2018 and 2022."

Blatter announced FIFA's ethics committee will make their final ruling over Nigerian Amos Adamu and Tahiti's Reynald Temarii on November 17.

If the pair are suspended for the December 2 vote, they will not be replaced and only 22 members will take part in a secret ballot to decide the host nations for the two tournaments.

"This is an uncomfortable situation for FIFA but we must say that inside FIFA we have the necessary instruments to react properly," said Blatter.

"The ethics committee are addressing a case that involves allegations of possible corruption. We will deal with them according to current regulations.

"If and when people are suspended for the vote on December 2 they will not be replaced."

England are competing for the right to host the 2018 tournament with Russia and joint bids from Spain/Portugal and Netherlands/Belgium.

Australia, Qatar, Japan/South Korea and the United States are bidding to host the 2022 World Cup.

Blatter admitted it had been a mistake to run both bids at the same time.

"We have asked ourselves whether it has been wise to have a double bid for the two World Cups," he said.

"I have expressed my concern that the decision to put the World Cups together was a good decision. I take responsibility for that and I it was not the right thing to do.

"We are in a situation now where we have to go on."