According to US Soccer chief Sunil Gulati, a Monday FIFA decision to abandon the rotation policy for World Cup dispersals will not alter the federation's original plan to bid for the 2018 edition.

The change is expected to increase competition for the United States, who were probably already going to be up against a proposal from Mexico. England have announced their intention to bid for the tournament, while Belgium and the Netherlands - who successfully hosted Euro 2000 in tandem - are pondering a joint Benelux entry along with Luxembourg.

"While we think it would have been more appropriate to finish the rotation before ending it, we fully expected FIFA's decision to open up the bidding process to multiple confederations," Gulati told Big Apple Soccer.

"FIFA's decision does not change our own commitment to try and bring the World Cup back to the United States. I believe that a US bid will be very competitive."

America still hold the record for World Cup attendance, drawing over 3.6 milli0on fans to the 1994 edition. The procedure change, approved by unanimous vote, will allow federations from all countries outside Africa and South America to enter the running. South Africa will host in 2010 and Brazil was awarded the 2014 tourney on Tuesday.

"Since several associations from different confederations have already declared their interest in bidding, the FIFA executive came to the conclusion that as from 2018 the bidding procedure should once again be open to all continents, except those parts of the world that have hosted the two previous tournaments," explained FIFA president Sepp Blatter.