Last month, American prosecutor Michael Garcia delivered a 350-page report into the legality of the bidding processes which led to Russia and Qatar being named as hosts of the tournament in 2018 and 2022 respectively.

There were a total of nine bidders for the two tournaments with Russia, England, Holland/Belgium and Spain/Portugal all looking to host the tournament in 2018, and Qatar, the United States, Australia, Japan and South Korea bidding for the 2022 edition.

Speaking to BBC Sport, German judge Eckert, said: "We will have some final reports and then there will be decisions, but this takes time.

"I am now doing a statement on the report and then Mr Garcia will be working further.

"There will be some decisions, maybe in spring, and then we will go on."

The bidding processes for Qatar 2022 and Russia 2018 are under severe scrutiny
©Getty Images



Eckert confirmed that any decision to order re-votes into Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 would ultimately rest with FIFA's ruling Executive Committee or its Congress of 209 Federations.

He also insisted that nobody at FIFA had read the confidential report from Garcia and that while a decision will ultimately be made public, the report "never" will be.

"We are not allowed to tell anybody anything. It's our duty not to tell," he said.

"I know the interests of the public but please, we have to do our work, we are bound by the code of ethics and later the decision will be made public.

"I will not be the guy to be pressed, to feel pressed.

"It's my job for 40 years doing cases like that. You will have to wait and I will read."

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