Spain/Portugal 2018/2022 World Cup Bid Investigated

[EastStandBlue]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/oct/22/portuguese-fa-fifa-investigation

Over allegations of collusion with the Qatar 2022 bid.

Interesting to see how this pans out and whether it works in England's favour, or against it. If there's a thorough investigation which finds nothing, I can definitely see the Spain/Portugual bid receiving FIFA favouritism as a peace offering...

 

[Uncle Leo]

I just can't see how any country other than England can get the 2018 World Cup.

• After South Africa and Brazil, it's time for another World Cup in Western Europe
• England haven't hosted the tournament since 1966, during which time Germany have hosted two. It's definitely our turn
• The stadia we've got are fantastic.
• We'll pack out the grounds
• Spain had the World Cup in 1982, so they can wait their turn
• Not to mention Portugal; they had the Euros as recently as 2004!
• Single bids > joint bids
• As a travelling fan, would you rather follow your team around England (no more than 400 miles between the grounds that will be furthest apart) or Russia (rather more than 400 miles)
• Qatar is an utterly mad idea

 

[BrettieAngell]

Nice us of bullet points James! Have to agree would be a disgrace if we don't get it.

 

[EastStandBlue]

I think it's certainly between us and Spain/Portugal... I think the lure of awarding the World Cup to the reigning champions would certainly be strong and we haven't exactly been in the habit of making friends in high places as of late. That said, our infrastructure is nigh on perfect to host a major tournament and the passion of the English cannot be faultered.

 

[BrettieAngell]

We pulled out of 2022 didn't we?

 

[EastStandBlue]

Well, yes and no... We haven't formally pulled out yet, but we will as soon as America pulls out of the running for the 2018 bid, accepting that the World Cup will be coming to Europe in 2018.

2018 England
2022 USA
2026 Dubai

That's my guess...

 

[BrettieAngell]

Ah thats right cheers ESB.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I just can't see how any country other than England can get the 2018 World Cup.

• After South Africa and Brazil, it's time for another World Cup in Western Europe
• England haven't hosted the tournament since 1966, during which time Germany have hosted two. It's definitely our turn
• The stadia we've got are fantastic.
• We'll pack out the grounds
• Spain had the World Cup in 1982, so they can wait their turn
• Not to mention Portugal; they had the Euros as recently as 2004!
• Single bids > joint bids
• As a travelling fan, would you rather follow your team around England (no more than 400 miles between the grounds that will be furthest apart) or Russia (rather more than 400 miles)
• Qatar is an utterly mad idea

You've missed out the most important reason: £££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

You've missed out the most important reason: £££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

Or by that date if Brussels get their way...
€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€

 

[Uncle Leo]

You've missed out the most important reason: £££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

If it was entirely down to that, then it'd be in Qatar.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

If it was entirely down to that, then it'd be in Qatar.

Not sure that Qatar would be more lucrative.

1. Qatar is a small country (population 1.3m) that would attract a limited number of travelling fans. I can't see South Korea v Greece in Qatar selling out, which would limit ticket revenue.
2. Sponsorship - whilst there are some big sponsors who would get involved, that region isn't going to be as attractive to many key FIFA sponsors
3. TV - would games take place at the optimum time for scheduling? The EPL's success is because the time that games are on. Afternoon games take place in a gap in the US TV scheduling, but whilst Asia are still awake. You'd want to avoid day games in Qatar because of the heat.

Financially the only place that would be as profitable would be the US again.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Not sure that Qatar would be more lucrative.

1. Qatar is a small country (population 1.3m) that would attract a limited number of travelling fans. I can't see South Korea v Greece in Qatar selling out, which would limit ticket revenue.
2. Sponsorship - whilst there are some big sponsors who would get involved, that region isn't going to be as attractive to many key FIFA sponsors
3. TV - would games take place at the optimum time for scheduling? The EPL's success is because the time that games are on. Afternoon games take place in a gap in the US TV scheduling, but whilst Asia are still awake. You'd want to avoid day games in Qatar because of the heat.

Financially the only place that would be as profitable would be the US again.

All fair points, but I am sure Qatar could make it very worthwhile for whoever is deciding these things. Although I'd say point two is essentially part of point three as it's the exposure on tv that the sponsors are really hunting for.

Besides, I think we both agree (your third point is the same as my first) that it simply has to be England.

 

[EastStandBlue]

If it was entirely down to that, then it'd be in Qatar.

:thumbdown:

Beware the Ides of Uncle Leo.

 

[Napster]

Qatar's bid was interesting. Fronted by a Brit, helped by De Boer

what happens if Israel qualify though?

 

[EastStandBlue]

Qatar's bid was interesting. Fronted by a Brit, helped by De Boer

Not to mention Zizou, who was paid a remarkable £15m for showing his face in a few places.

I see the Asian Confederation has pleaded with FIFA to change the 2022 World Cup scheduling to January given the heat in July. Outstanding behaviour.

 

[EastStandBlue]

And, oh look, there's Barcelona agreeing a record £125m shirt sponsorship deal with Qatari Foundation.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

WTF happened there?

Qatar is utter lunancy: there's no justification for it whatsoever.

 

[Davros]

is it just me that thinks Sepp Blatter, aside from all the others things he is, is highly unprofessional?

 

[EastStandBlue]

WTF happened there?

Qatar is utter lunancy: there's no justification for it whatsoever.

Apart from the ludicrous amount of money FIFA will make from it.

You just have to look at that sponsorship deal to know how bent this whole process is. Pep Guardiola appears as an ambassador for the Qatari bid, despite his home nation bidding for a tournament during the same process, and a week later his club are pocketing £125m from a unique sponsorship deal with a company whose head fronted the Qatar2022 bid.

Apparently the Times has evidence as to two FIFA ExCo members who agreed to sell their bids for £1.5m each, including dates and times when the transactions happened, courtesy of a whistleblower. If the evidence stands up and charges are brought against them, it'd be interesting to see how FIFA reacted.

is it just me that thinks Sepp Blatter, aside from all the others things he is, is highly unprofessional?

In his defence, he's probably the most professional of the lot. Blatter made an extraordinary slip this week when he came out with this gem:

"I really sense in some reactions a bit of the arrogance of the Western world of Christian background. Some simply can't bear it if others get a chance for a change," he said."

But that's nothing compared to some of the comments made by other committee members, my personal favourite being Jack Warner, who's a PR nightmare with his personal insults and threats of violence.

 

[MK Shrimper]

**** FIFA and Blatter, the corrupt bunch of money grabbing, self serving smarmy *****.