Former Ajax, Manchester United and Denmark World Cup footballer, Jesper Olsen, has thrown his support behind Australia's bid to host the World Cup in 2022.

Olsen, who has lived in Australia for seven years and is now an assistant coach for Melbourne Heart, said he witnessed the country make great progress with its football while he had been here. And if the Australian Cup bid was successful, he said the positives for the game in this country would be immeasurable.

Although Olsen said it was too difficult to predict which nation would win the right to host the 2022 event, he was confident that Australia had made a strong application and would be a worthy winner. "I know Australia would put on a fantastic show and it would be a great place to have the World Cup," Olsen said.

"If Australia got it I think it would prove to be a historical World Cup because you seem to be great at putting together huge events and it would just be fantastic."

A member of Denmark's team at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, Olsen identified the United States as Australia's greatest danger when the FIFA announcement for 2022 is made early on Friday morning (AEST) - even though the North American giant hosted the Cup in 1994. Qatar is also rated a strong contender.

"The United States is probably the only country that stands in Australia's way, but by 2022 Australia will be a major player in world football and that can only help its chances,'' he said.

"There are so many factors that the members of the selection panel will look at including, sponsorship, money, television rights, time zones and global reach.

"But I also believe that when choosing the host nation 12 years in advance you have to look where the growth is, and I believe Asia is that place and Australia is as strong as any other country in that region."

The Danish left-winger was complimentary of Australia's bid and suggested that not much else could have been done to improve their chances.

"The Football Federation of Australia has done an excellent job just to get past the application stage and down to the final five. I don't think they can do much more than what they have done," he said.

Reflecting on his past seven years in Australia, Olsen said he had watched participation rates in football grow to an all-time high.

"Since I have been here grass roots football has gone from strength to strength and if the Australia bid is successful it will accelerate that development," he said.

"There are so many kids that are playing at the moment, it is the highest participated sport and these kids will be the ones playing in 2022.

"It's all about the development of the game in this country in the next 12 years. The infrastructure would change so much if we were successful in our bid, there would be more help towards football as a whole so we could succeed on a major stage."

The benefits associated with hosting the World Cup would be enormous with supporters from all over the world expected to flock to Australia. South Africa, who hosted the 2010 event, recorded attendances of over three million for the month-long tournament.

"I don't think you can measure how important it is. It will be the biggest thing that would have ever happened to football in this country,'' Olsen said.

"The infrastructure of the game would change and the spotlight of the world would be turned on Australia. You simply cannot describe how huge it would be for football here."

One of the suggested reasons against Australia hosting the 2022 World Cup was the time zone difference and the inconvenience this may cause European viewers. Olsen, however, disagreed that might be a factor.

"I think that when the event is held in other parts of the world it adds charm because when people have to get up in the middle of the night it brings people together in a different way," he said.

"I really don't think the time difference has much to do with people in the street; I think it has more to do with the broadcasters and sponsors."

Olsen moved from Ajax to England in July 1984, joining Manchester United. He helped United win the 1985 FA Cup, and he scored a total of 24 goals in his five-year spell at the club. He was called up to the Danish squad for the 1986 World Cup, and scored two goals in the three preliminary group stage matches.

The decision on who will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will be handed down on Friday in Zurich. (The picture shows Australian Sports Minister, Mark Arbib, in Zurich this week with Football Federation of Australia chairman, Frank Lowy.)