MOSCOW, December 12 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's minister for sport has said that the country will not bid to hold the Euro 2016 soccer championships, but that it may attempt to win the right to host the 2018 World Cup.
"Euro 2012 will take place in Eastern Europe - in Poland and Ukraine. Who will let us hold the next one in the same region?" Vitaly Mutko, who is also the head of Russian soccer's governing body, told the Sport Den Za Dnyem website.
"As for the 2018 World Cup, we will consider this. I wouldn't like to force events - the world economic situation is complicated and it requires a lot of money to organize such a meaningful event," he added.
England, Mexico, the U.S., and Australia are just some of the countries set to bid for the 2018 World Cup.
Russia has never hosted a major international soccer tournament.
