FIFA president Sepp Blatter has confirmed the vote to decide who will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups is to take place as scheduled on December 2.

The decision was taken at this week’s executive committee meeting in Zurich, despite two members serving a suspension following allegations of corruption.

‘‘We are five weeks from the final decision so there was never a question of changing anything in the procedure,’’ said Blatter.

‘‘So on December 2, here in Zurich, the executive committee of FIFA will decide in a secret ballot the national associations who are hosts for the World Cup 2018 and 2022.’’ Blatter announced FIFA’s ethics committee will make their final ruling over Nigerian Amos Adamu and Tahiti’s Reynald Temarii on November 17.

If the pair are suspended for the December 2 vote, they will not be replaced and only 22 members will take part in a secret ballot to decide the host nations for the two tournaments.

‘‘This is an uncomfortable situation for FIFA but we must say that inside FIFA we have the necessary instruments to react properly,’’ said Blatter.

‘‘The ethics committee are addressing a case that involves allegations of possible corruption. We will deal with them according to current regulations.

‘‘If and when people are suspended for the vote on December 2 they will not be replaced.’’ England are competing for the right to host the 2018 tournament with Russia and joint bids from Spain/Portugal and Netherlands/Belgium.

Australia, Qatar, Japan/South Korea and the United States are bidding to host the 2022 World Cup.

Blatter admitted it had been a mistake to run both bids at the same time.

‘‘We have asked ourselves whether it has been wise to have a double bid for the two World Cups,’’ he said.

‘‘I have expressed my concern that the decision to put the World Cups together was a good decision. I take responsibility for that and I think it was not the right thing to do.

‘‘We are in a situation now where we have to go on.’’ The ethics committee will meet on November 15, 16 and 17 and will hear evidence from those Blatter calls ‘‘the main actors’’ in the case.

Adamu and Temarii have been provisionally suspended after being accused via a Sunday Times investigation of asking undercover reporters for cash in return for their World Cup votes.

Both men have protested their innocence.

Blatter said: ‘‘One can ask whether it is appropriate for newspapers and journalists to set traps for people.

‘‘I come back to what we have discussed today – if you were in that situation, how would you act?’’ In other matters, Blatter announced FIFA would look into ways of livening up the group stages of the World Cup.

A task group called Football 2014 is to be set up, including stakeholders from around the game.

The group seeks to carry out the same work done by the Football 2000 group, which was launched in 1990 after a disappointing World Cup – subsequently, the backpass rule was introduced.

Blatter said: ‘‘They will assess the present situation of football, concerning the laws of the game and also all things pertaining to the rules and regulations of competitions to see whether there is something we can add to make it more attractive.

‘‘In the first round matches of the World Cup no-one wants to lose and there were five or six draws, 0-0 or 1-1, so let’s see how we can add some attraction to football.’’