London mayor Boris Johnson has concerns over how the host of World Cup tournaments are selected. The English bid was beaten by Russia and Johnson feels that the way the hosts are decided needs to be reviewed.

"If one of the results of what has happened today is that we proceed to a closer examination of how these decisions are taken, at how World Cups that are worth billions of pounds are awarded around the world, I don't think that would be a bad thing," he said.

"This [the World Cup] is a great, great world institution. I think what President Blatter had to say about the importance of football is absolutely right, I think that people will now wonder if the conclave of the oligarchy that decides where the World Cup should go, I think people will think its days are now numbered in its current form."

Johnson, however, does not see the critical British media as having a negative effect on the bid.

"We have a free press in our country, I think it's one of the things that makes Britain great. The media shine a light on things that need to be exposed - then that's a fantastic thing," he added.