Russia has submitted a bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022, the head of the Russian Football Union (RFU) said on Friday.

"We are keeping up the fight. Today the RFU sent its application, and FIFA should receive it by March 16," Alexei Sorokin was quoted as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency.

The sport's world governing body FIFA began accepting applications to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups on Jan. 15. The deadline for bids is March 16.

Indonesia, England, Qatar, the United States, Japan, Spain/Portugal and Belgium/the Netherlands/Luxembourg have also declared their plans to bid.

South Africa and Brazil will host the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, respectively. The host countries for 2018 and 2022 will be announced in December 2010.

(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2009)