Blatter says Russia World Cup decision made before vote took place

Suspended outgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter claims an agreement was in place for Russia to take the 2018 World Cup - before there was even a vote. He’s spoken to the Russian news agency, saying the 2022 tournament was lined up to go to the USA but went to Qatar instead after UEFA boss Michel Platini changed his backing. Blatter hasn’t revealed who an agreement had been made with. It's seen as a controversial statement, as many countries spent millions of dollars on campaigns.