Zurich  - Football's governing body FIFA on Tuesday announced that they had received 11 formal expressions of interest to bid for the 2018 and/or the 2022 World Cups.

The deadline to register an interest in staging the World Cup in 2018 or 2022 expired on Monday.

In a statement issued by FIFA the organization said that Australia, Belgium/Netherlands, England, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Qatar, Russia, Spain/Portugal and the US had registered their interest.

The hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will be announced in December 2010. It will be the first time that FIFA will award the right to host consecutive competitions at the same time.

"It is remarkable that so many high-quality contenders have expressed an initial interest in hosting our flagship competition," FIFA President Joseph Blatter said in the statement.

"The bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will be keenly contested and FIFA is eager to ensure that fair play prevails. For that reason, the FIFA Ethics Committee will be involved in the proceedings," he said.

The eleven countries will receive a bid registration form on February 16 and musr return it within one month.

In December, the countries will have to submit their signed bidding agreement to FIFA, while the bid book, the signed hosting agreements and all other hosting documents have to be sent to FIFA by May 14 next year.

The FIFA executive board will elect the two hosts in December 2010. dpa