BEIJING, July 30 -- Europe has no right to believe it is the natural host of the 2018 World Cup, as other confederations have proved they can hold the event successfully, FIFA President Sepp Blatter said on Saturday.

Blatter, in Indonesia to attend yesterday's final of the Asian Cup between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, said the event had been a "resounding success."

Asked whether that success would boost the chances of Asia hosting the World Cup in 2018, Blatter said he favors continued rotation between continents.

With Europe having hosted in 2006, Africa in 2010 and South America in 2014, a continued rotation policy would see the World Cup return to either the CONCACAF region or Asia ahead of any return to Europe.

However, Europe wants the event to return there in 2018, with England among the leading bidders.

A decision on the 2018 host continent is likely to take place in November.

"When it goes to rotation, the next confederation should be North America or CONCA-CAF, unless you consider the Americas together," Blatter said in Jakarta.

"This is being studied and is in discussion and it will be very interesting.

"Europeans think they are privileged and they should have the World Cup, even in rotation, every third time, but why? There is no written rule they can have it. Other confederations have shown they can organize it," Blatter said.

Blatter mentioned Australia, China and India as three Asian nations capable of hosting the next World Cup in Asia.

However, FIFA member Franz Beckenbauer believes the 2018 Cup should be held in Europe and that England is the best candidate to host the finals.

Beckenbauer, a member of FIFA's 24-strong executive committee, which decides the World Cup host, said the quality of England's league and stadia made the country the favorite.

"2010 is South Africa, then because of the FIFA rotation in 2014 it will be South America, probably Brazil, and then it's the end of the rotation," Beckenbauer told BBC Five Live radio yesterday.

"It has to come back to Europe and then England, of course, is the first choice to host the World Cup in 2018."

Beckenbauer, a World Cup winner as a player and manager who headed the organizing committee of last year's finals in his native Germany, said: "There is no better country in Europe to host it in 2018."

(Source: Shanghai Daily/ Agencies)