England's dream of hosting the 2018 World Cup has ended in disappointment after Russia won the right to stage the tournament.
President Sepp Blatter made the announcement after a ballot by the Fifa executive committee in Zurich shortly after 3.30pm.
Joint bids by Spain and Portugal as well as Holland and Belgium also lost out.
Sources close to the English bid said England did not even make it to the final round of voting.
Fifa executives also voted to choose the 2022 World Cup hosts with Qatar winning the contest. Qatar beat bids from Australia, the United States and 2004 World Cup co-hosts Japan and South Korea.
The full extent of England's defeat was revealed as details of the vote were released. Only two of Fifa's 22 executive committee members voted for the bid, resulting in elimination after the opening round.
