Indonesia is out of the running to host football's World Cup finals in 2018 and 2022, world football's governing body FIFA said Friday.

The move followed a decision by Indonesia's government not to provide guarantees over taxes and other issues to back the country's bid committee by a December 2009 deadline, said FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke.

"Indonesia is no longer a candidate for 2018 and 2022," he told journalists after the decision by the FIFA's executive committee at a meeting in Zurich

"It was the government side of the gurantees that were missing," he said.

Australia, England, Japan, Netherlands/Belgium, Russia and Spain/Portugal have also bid to host both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, while Qatar and South Korea are bidding just to host the event in 2022.

England and Spain/Portugal are viewed as the leading contenders for 2018, while the United States, hosts in 1994, are seen as a top candidate for 2022.

AFP

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