The Spain/Portugal World Cup 2018 bid committee hopes that Real Madrid stars Iker Casillas and Cristiano Ronaldo willbe released to join it in attending the Dec. 2 vote in Zurich on the hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Spain/Portugal bid committee chief executive Miguel Angel Lopez hopes that Real’s Portuguese coach, Jose Mourinho, will also attend, though he has no illusions that they will sway any membersof the FIFA executive committee. “All the fish is sold,” Lopez said.
Lopez says Spain/Portugal could get eight votes from the 22-member FIFA executive committee in the firstround of voting. It needs 12 to win. In the event of a 11-11 tie in the final round, FIFA President Sepp Blatter will cast the deciding vote.