Official Soccer Thread

[Soxbadger]

It was definitely an unexpected result. That being said I found it funny that because Qatar won, China cant win 2026 because they are located on the same continent (Asia).

 

Since when is Russia not located in Asia? If the rule was that you cant have the games on the same continent in back to back World Cups, shouldnt Russia's win have prevented both Europe and Asia from winning the 2022 bid?

 

 

[ChiSox_Sonix]

It was definitely an unexpected result. That being said I found it funny that because Qatar won, China cant win 2026 because they are located on the same continent (Asia).

 

Since when is Russia not located in Asia? If the rule was that you cant have the games on the same continent in back to back World Cups, shouldnt Russia's win have prevented both Europe and Asia from winning the 2022 bid?

 

It's continent, it's confederation. So Australia is out too since they are now part of the AFC.

 

2026 should be a lock (it's FIFA so lockes don't exist) for the US if they wish to pursue it. Outside of Mexico and maybe Argentina I can't see another country putting together a case. Remember, the new rotation system does not allow a confederation to host another WC for 2 cycles. Europe won't be eligible until 2030 and Asia not again until 2034.

[LittleHurt05]

LOL @ Bill Simmons:

 

sportsguy33 And... all the rumors about insane bribes being thrown around to get the 2022 World Cup have been proven correct! Wow.

 

Qatar needs to thank its special consultant for the 2022 WC bid: Cam Newton's father.

 

Any time you can hold a World Cup in a hot Middle East country that's smaller than Connecticut + has no soccer tradition, you have to do it.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

The largest stadium in the US would hold roughly 7% of Qatar's total population

[LittleHurt05]

The largest stadium in the US would hold roughly 7% of Qatar's total population

 

Qatar's 4 biggest cities (est 2010 population): Doha (998,651), Al-Rayyan (444,557), Al-Khor (31,547), Al-Wakrah (31,441)

[southsider2k5]

True fact. Michigan City Indiana would be the fifth largest city in Qatar. It doesn't even rank in the top 10 of Indiana...

[DBAHO]

I think we should feel more dirty about missing than the US, the US at least had the World Cup 16 years ago, we've never had it, and if FIFA is all about taking the World Cup to new places, we should have got it.

 

We have the stadiums built, we're a mad sporting nation and it would have been as good as Germany 2006 was IMO.

 

FIFA is more corrupt than the IOC, NBA and other major sporting organisations around the world put together, the Panorama Documentary by the BBC proves that. Just sickens me.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

I think we should feel more dirty about missing than the US, the US at least had the World Cup 16 years ago, we've never had it, and if FIFA is all about taking the World Cup to new places, we should have got it.

 

We have the stadiums built, we're a mad sporting nation and it would have been as good as Germany 2006 was IMO.

 

FIFA is more corrupt than the IOC, NBA and other major sporting organisations around the world put together, the Panorama Documentary by the BBC proves that. Just sickens me.

 

I wouldn't think so. I think the US and Qatar were the favorites all along. Australia faced a few problems including their isolation, the time zone, and the fact two of their major sports leagues use the stadiums in which they'd use. Of course they still have a better argument than Qatar but that's just gonna be beating a dead horse. And what sucks for Australia is that this was their last good chance for who knows how long. Since they moved to the AFC they have to wait until 2034 now and FIFA will probably award the next WC in that region to China.

[Soxbadger]

Australia does have a better case than the US. The US, almost by default, can put together the best bid every cycle. In fact the US could most likely run a World Cup with less than 2 years planning (my guess is that the US is almost always the back up plan in case their is a problem with the selected bid).

 

Qatar's plan is pretty ambitious, you are talking about more spending per capita than China did for the Olympics. They have a ton of money so it could be amazing, or it could be a spectacular failure.

 

The biggest concern I had was that the Qatar bid went out of its way to say Israel could participate. The fact that it was ever in question should be enough to say no thanks to that bid.

[danman31]

I think we should feel more dirty about missing than the US, the US at least had the World Cup 16 years ago, we've never had it, and if FIFA is all about taking the World Cup to new places, we should have got it.

 

We have the stadiums built, we're a mad sporting nation and it would have been as good as Germany 2006 was IMO.

 

FIFA is more corrupt than the IOC, NBA and other major sporting organisations around the world put together, the Panorama Documentary by the BBC proves that. Just sickens me.

Yeah, I was hoping Australia would land it if the US didn't. New area plus a more developed, bigger nation that actually has a solid team as well. It's a shame.

 

Australia does have a better case than the US. The US, almost by default, can put together the best bid every cycle. In fact the US could most likely run a World Cup with less than 2 years planning (my guess is that the US is almost always the back up plan in case their is a problem with the selected bid).

There is precedence for this with the Women's World Cup in 2003. China was going to host, but SARS made them move it. They had 4 months notice. Granted, it's not the same scale, but it furthers your point.

[zenryan]

I think only Australians thought they really had a chance. But I do agree that if the US wasnt to get it, Australia should have since it's more logical to try to build soccer up more there and in Qatar.

 

What is Qatar going to do with all those new stadiums after 2022?

 

I dont think many would argue that there were some back room dealings. But I think something we're overlooking is the money FIFA will make when it comes to building these new stadiums. The US already has everything built so there is no money to be made when bids begin for the contracts of these new stadiums.

 

 

And FIFA basically told England to f***ing know your role. Two months ago it seemed like a sure thing that England would host 2018. The English press def. bit the hand that feeds the FA.

[DBAHO]

Yeah, I was hoping Australia would land it if the US didn't. New area plus a more developed, bigger nation that actually has a solid team as well. It's a shame.

The shame is Soccer has become the 2nd biggest sport in Australia simply off the back of Australia's performance in the 2006 World Cup and the subsequent rebuild of the new National League.

 

Now with this news, I could see a lot of problems propping up potentially.

 

We played in Qatar 1 or 2 years back also for an Asian Cup Qualifier, the Stadium was a shambles, the pitch was terible, it was about 35 degrees at 10PM at night and about 5,000 people showed to support the team IIRC.

 

Don't know how they are going to get the crowd numbers, if people aren't going to stay there. Not all of them are going to fly in all of the time from Dubai as well.

[DBAHO]

Have fun in Qatar folks;

 

FIFA'S choice of Qatar for the 2022 World Cup will undoubtedly expand soccer's reach - but is it a smart choice for the fans? Here's news.com.au's quick cheat sheet on Qatar.

- The small Arab state will be the first Middle Eastern World Cup host. Qatar's slick bid appealed for Fifa to take "a bold gamble" and bring the World Cup to a region that is beginning to emerge as world player in global sport.

 

- Qatar has never qualified for a World Cup finals, has few stadiums and has little footballing glory to its name. Some wag edited the national side's Wikipedia page to say: "2006 Did Not Qualify; 2010 Did Not Qualify; 2014 Will Not Qualify; 2018 Will Not Qualify; 2022 Qualified." Needlessly to say this was quickly changed.

 

- Qatar's bid chief executive, Hassan al-Thawadi, says that "heat is not and will not be an issue" but many beg to differ. The Qataris say they have developed carbon cooling systems to keep down temperatures in stadiums but Fifa's technical report on the bid said that there was a "potential health risk" because of the heat, which reaches up to 47C during summer.

 

 

- Qatar's size is just 4416 square miles, about a fifth of the size of Tasmania, so traveling between games won't be a problem. The population is 1.7 million.

 

- Qatar's victory will be seen as a personal triumph for Mohammed Bin Hammam, Fifa executive member and president of the Asia Football Confederation. He is the favourite to succeed Fifa chief Sepp Blatter.

 

- The Qatar bid was also embroiled in allegations of collusion after reports that it had entered an illicit vote-swapping pact with the Spanish-Portuguese bid, which this morning was beaten by Russia for the right to host the 2018 World Cup.

 

Here's what DFAT says about travelling to Qatar:

 

- We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in Qatar because of the threat of terrorist attack against Western interests. Terrorists have demonstrated the intent and capability to conduct attacks throughout the Arabian Peninsula at places frequented by Westerners, such as commercial and public areas. Further attacks may be planned and could occur in Qatar.

 

- Homosexual acts are illegal. Penalties include lengthy jail sentence, corporal punishment and/or deportation.

 

- Penalties for drug offences include long prison sentences.

 

- Drinking alcohol outside licensed premises are illegal. Penalties include detention, substantial fine, prison sentence and deportation.

 

- The penalty for drunkenness and defamation may include corporal punishment if the offenders are Muslims.

 

- Taking photographs of local people, particularly women, without permission and where there has been no previous contact, is illegal and can lead to arrest or fines.

 

- Men and women should dress modestly with clothing covering the shoulders and knees.

 

- Australia does not have an Embassy or Consulate in Qatar.

[danman31]

So it's going to be 100 and you have to wear clothes covering shoulders and knees? Yeah, I hope no one goes.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

Blatter says gay fans should "refrain" at Qatar 2022

 

LOL. How pathetic that this needs to be said. Further proof of what a joke this World Cup selection was