jimf

Just very dull and bland like when the USA hosted the 1996 Olympics. Nothing memorable about it at all.

dbd33

By this standard Russia and Qatar seem like excellent choices, good chance of disorganisation, even a fair chance of terrorism. None of that awful efficiency.

JamesM

Who could ever forget Diana Ross' Penalty in the opening ceremony with the goal exploding when the ball hit the back of the net. Except it didn't as she put it about 5 metres wide as it trickled agonizingly away from her boot!!!

Oink

It was depressingly boring. They didn't even mow the pitches properly so the ball couldn't move very well. And as said, the spectators didn't understand football. Of course I don't think Qatar will be any better.

JamesM

They should of just given it to Canada because of it's ability to host world class events.

They could of recreated memories of the famous "own the podium" campaign by devising a special pitch that nobody has ever seen before and only letting the Canadians train on it.

Then they can pull in the police from the G20 summit to arrest every man and his dog and drive them for endless hours out to suburban Canada creating some sort of new World Cup experience for the poor locals. Days later they will publish their most wanted list as they completely forgot to arrest the hooligans.

Oink

I wouldn't go that far.

BristolUK

You beat me to it.

Oink

jimf

Oh well the Chechyns have eight years to plan. A reasonable case can be made for Russia though if the rationale is to boost somewhere with potential.

The choice of Qatar though is just bizarre against any rational criteria. Air conditioned stadium?

iaink

Western Europe, done to death
North America, done
South America, done
Africa, Done
Far east, Done

Eastern Europe and the middle east are gaps in the resume to be filled by the "worlds game". I expect it wont be long too before Australia gets it, if it still wants it. All about the politics I expect. The guy in charge of Qutar is expected to take over from Sep Blatter, so its in all the deligates interests to keep the guy who is likely to keep the trough full happy.

Seems to me the awarding of the tournament has little to do with the bid presentations and criteria.

not that you would expect FIFA to give a rats arse, but I wonder what the Carbon footprint of building 8 new stadiums, airconditioning them for the duration, dismantling them when done and then shipping them elsewhere and rebuilding them is likely to be? Carbon Neutrality seems a long shot!

Partially discharged

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatar_2..._World_Cup_bid

Check out the 'weather' section in this link for the answer...it seems totally space age...lets hope that they can pull it off...good news for brits for 2022...there will be alcohol served.

Honestly, though has there ever been a host country who is so far removed from qualifying by their own accord. South Africa has qualified in the past, but Qatar.....seriously.....IIRC most of their national team players are actually not Qatari born and bred and are in Qatar just for the passport and the chance to play on the national team.

Blatter and Warner have a lot to answer for.

I actually feel sorry for Beckham...he put so much into this and he went up in my estimation over the last few days...even though he was trying to lobby with some of the most odious cretins around....the FIFA executive.

dbd33

That's a bit harsh. Sport is necessarily bad for the environment, the difference between a World Cup in one place and one in another is minor. People who cared about the planet just wouldn't get mixed up in sport in the first place.

iaink

not without changing the laws of physics I suspect.

Lets not get into the carbon footprint of making all that concrete (or whatever), then tearing it down and moving it all elsewhere! Pre exisiting stadia, or ones earmarked for a good long useful life afterwards would be preferable.

jimf

While countries think they have a chance of hosting the tournament they have been prepared to keep quiet rather than criticise FIFA. Hopefully this will change in the future.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/market...ld-football.do

It seems that FIFA makes most of its money from TV rights. Hopefully the commerical value of these will diminish in the countries with a strong football culture as people loose interest in a competition they have no possibility of ever hosting. It won't happen of course.

Cyan

Welcome to the new world order.

Russia has the sporting history, the planning capability and the people to pull off a good World Cup. Didn't hear too many complaints at the 2008 Champions League final in Moscow (Man U v Chelsea). Good luck to them.