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Belgium, Netherlands discuss action over failed 2018 football World Cup bid

Xinhua, November 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

Football authorities in Belgium and the Netherlands are deciding whether to take joint action against the sport's world governing body FIFA to reclaim the money spent on their failed bid to host the 2018 World Cup, Flemish newspaper De Morgen reported on Sunday.

The two countries put together a joint candidacy to host the tournament, at a cost of more than 10 million euros (about 10.75 million U.S. dollars).

De Morgen reports that the Dutch parliament voted by a majority on Friday to reclaim the money spent by the Netherlands on the bid, and the Royal Belgian Football Association is consulting with its Dutch counterpart on which steps should be taken.

The decision comes after FIFA president Sepp Blatter gave an interview for the Russian news service Tass, in which he claimed that the FIFA board had already agreed in 2010 to give Russia the 2018 World Cup.

Blatter told Tass: "In 2010 we had a discussion ... it was agreed that we go to Russia because it's never been in Russia, eastern Europe."

Meanwhile, the Organizing Committee of the Russian 2018 World Cup has denied accusations that Russia had won the right to host the global football event as a result of fix-ups.

De Morgen added that the English Football Association is also wanting its campaign spending, about 29 million euros, reimbursed by FIFA. (1 euro = 1.07 U.S. dollars) Endit