Spain left out in the cold in Zurich

Spain and Portugal's confidence that it had secured at least eight votes from the 22-member Fifa Executive Committee in the race to host the 2018 World Cup proved unfounded in Zurich on Thursday as the president of the governing body, as expected in many quarters, pulled Russia from the envelope at the end of the voting process. Qatar was handed the 2022 tournament immediately afterward. "Never has the World Cup been in Russia and Eastern Europe, and the Middle East and Arabic world have been waiting for a long time, so I'm a happy president when we talk about the development of football," Sepp Blatter said.

The bidders for 2018- Spain-Portugal, England, the Netherlands-Belgium and Russia- made their presentations in the morning to the Fifa committee, with great expectations caused by England and Russia's submissions. Spain-Portugal's presentation was instead a rather drab affair, with plaudits aplenty for the Fifa committee itself, some self-serving words from Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Ángel María Villar, and a more economic than sporting focus; a questionable tactic with the two countries under the cosh in that department.

Villar was on the podium for 40 minutes, longer than anyone else, and opened his speech by greeting the "prime ministers of Spain"- forgetting the "and Portugal"- hardly the show of unity a joint bid requires. Fifa has made clear its distaste for such petitions after the travel chaos caused by Japan and South Korea's tournament in 2002.

The Netherlands-Belgium wheeled out Ruud Gullit, Guus Hiddink and Johan Cruyff. England's bid was led by Prince William, Prime Minister David Cameron and David Beckham, while Russia took the giant leap of giving airtime to glamorous pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva in the male-dominated assembly. It was a curious choice on the part of the Iberian bid to give the less-than-charismatic Villar center stage while World Cup-winning Spain captain Iker Casillas, Luis Figo, Vicente del Bosque and Eusebio remained rooted to their seats.

Fifa later on Thursday released details of the rounds of voting. In the first ballot, England received two votes, the Netherlands-Belgium four, the Iberian bid seven and Russia nine. With England eliminated, the second round proved decisive: the Netherlands-Belgium garnered two votes, Spain-Portugal seven again, and Russia 13.

Qatar, too, was in the driving seat from the first round, in which Australia missed out. Japan fell in the second ballot, its partner in the hosting of the 2002 World Cup, South Korea, was next to be eliminated and the Emirate eventually bettered the USA by 14 votes to eight in the deciding poll.

"The Spanish Football Federation wishes to extend its most sincere congratulations to the football federations of Russia and Qatar after being chosen to organize the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively," the RFEF said in a statement on its website.

"Personally I'm hurt for my president [Villar], who is a man who has worked very hard. Now all that remains for us is to congratulate our candidacy for the great job they've done. Also we have to congratulate Russia because they are worthy winners," Fernando Hierro, former Spain captain and now RFEF sporting director, added.