FIFA officials have told non- European nations applying to host the 2018 soccer World Cup that they should drop out and focus on 2022, three officials involved in the bidding process said.

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“The U.S., Australia and Japan are officially in the race for both World Cups, and haven’t yet decided what they’ll do, the people said, who declined to be identified because the talks with soccer’s governing body are confidential. Bids must be filed in May; FIFA’s 24-member board will decide on both 2018 and 2022 in December.

FIFA’s request would leave England, Russia and joint efforts from Spain and Portugal and Holland and Belgium to compete for sport’s most-watched event, which U.S. bid officials last year estimated to be worth $5 billion in jobs and tourist spending. Governments often use the event to speed up the development roads, bridges and stadiums. Guaranteeing a European event may help FIFA President Sepp Blatter secure support against a possible challenge from Asia to his re-election bid.

FIFA officials declined to comment, referring to Feb. 18 remarks by General Secretary Jerome Valcke to reporters that his organization’s executive wouldn’t officially call for a Europe- only bidding process.

“They need to make up their mind in terms of what they are bidding for,” Valcke said. “If, in the end, only European associations bid for 2018, then that’s their decision.”

Football Federation Australia Chairman Frank Lowy said that he’d been told by “European soccer figures” that his country had little chance of winning the 2018 bid.

“If we have to change course, we will have the option of focusing on 2022 and, tactically, we still have plenty of time to consider that,” Lowy said.

U.S. Bid

David Downs, executive director of the U.S. bid committee, said in a statement that he isn’t aware of “official” talks about focusing on 2022.

“We are still going for 2018 and 2022,” he said.”