Longshot Qatar to Host 2022 World Cup

Considered a long shot when it first announced its bid, Qatar is now set to host the 2022 World Cup -- and seemingly has the money to make it work.

Qatar is promising to spend $42.9 billion on infrastructure upgrades and $4 billion to build nine stadiums and renovate three others. All those stadiums, Qatar says, will have a state-of-the art cooling system that will keep temperatures about 27 degrees C (81 degrees F). Similar cooling systems will be used at training sites and even fan zones.

It also made a strong argument for the legacy of the tournament, since it would be the first time the event is held in the Middle East. Blatter seemed to be taken by that when he visited Doha earlier this year, saying the region deserved to host a tournament.

The region has the demographics that any sports federation covets: nearly half the population of the Gulf is under 30 years old. Qatar also brings a powerful media ally as the patron of the Al-Jazeera network, which reaches nearly the entire Arabic-speaking world.

Qatar: From longshot to 2022 World Cup host
Sports Illustrated
December 2, 2010

Russia and Qatar to Host 2018, 2022 World Cups

Russia has been selected to host the 2018 World Cup, and Qatar has been selected to host the 2022 World Cup. These will be the first World Cups hosted by both countries.

Qatar, with 1.7 million people, only 300,000 of whom are citizens, is the smallest nation to host a World Cup. But with one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, it won with a bid that urged FIFA officials to make history as well as money. The success of the 2010 tournament, which was held in Africa for the first time, apparently further emboldened FIFA officials to continue to take its grandest spectacle to yet another part of the world, something that places soccer’s vision far ahead of the Olympics.

Russia and Qatar Win World Cup Bids
The New York Times
December 2, 2010

Russia Proposes $340 Million Investment in Stadia for 2018/2022 Cup

Russia is expecting to invest about $340 million on new stadia if it wins the right to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cups.

"Sufficient funds have been allocated by the government for the reconstruction of existing bases, pitches, and infrastructure," [Russian Football Union head Sergei Fursenko] said. "Around 340 million until 2015 is expected to be spent on these needs."

He added that 13 new stadiums would be built for the tournament, and that even if Russia was unsuccessful in its bid, "we will build six stadiums in any case."

Russia to invest $340 million in football infrastructure
Rian
May 18, 2010

U.S. Pins 2018/2022 World Cup Bid Hopes on Physical Capacity

The United States confidently submitted its bid to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, boasting its physical capacity to host the games and the crowds.

[Sunil Gulati, chairman of the U.S. Soccer Federation] cited several factors that would help make the U.S. case, including having 5 million tickets available, 18 cities with access to international airports and stadiums ready to host the event tomorrow, plus a wealthy populace.

Alas, numbers alone don't win the bidding, and the U.S. also has to convince the 25 members of FIFA's executive committee it has become a full-bore soccer nation. "They don't understand how big it is in this country," Mr. Gulati said.

Confident U.S. Presents World Cup Bid
The Wall Street Journal
May 14, 2010

Russia and Australia Kick Up Efforts to Win 2018 or 2022 World Cup Hosting

Leaders in Russia and Australia are pushing their countriies' respective efforts to play host for either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.

Putin added the issue to March 24's meeting of the Government Presidium of the Russian Federation, and has overseen progress on the guarantees since. The documents now having been signed, they will form part of the official bid presented to FIFA on May 14.

Putin said: "The World Cup preparations will not only require a large number of new sports facilities. They will also mean that we must develop - and are certain to do so if our bid is accepted - additional infrastructure: airports, roads, hotels and other tourist facilities in at least 10 major Russian cities, if not more. All of that would remain to be used by our people for decades to come.''

Meanwhile, Football Federation Australia chief executive officer Ben Buckley believes forecasts of social and economic growth in Asia make a compelling case for his country, which joined the Asian Football Confederation in 2006.

Australia and Russia step up World Cup bids
ESPN
April 19, 2010

Questioning the Wisdom of Hosting International Sporting Events

This article from the International Monetary Fund looks at the investments required to host big international sporting events like the Olympics and the World Cup and challenges the wisdom of making those investments.

Though the article explores some of the benefits Olympics can create for cities, it also warns that the costs of hosting these events are increasingly large.

Unfortunately, the Los Angeles experience was exceptional. Subsequent host cities found it impossible to procure the same proportion of private support. Several billion dollars in public monies was committed in Seoul (1988), Barcelona (1992), Nagano (1998), Sydney (2000), Athens (2004), and Beijing (2008).

The Barcelona Olympics left the central Spanish government $4 billion in debt, and the city and provincial governments an additional $2.1 billion in the red. The Nagano Organizing Committee showed a $28 million surplus, while the various units of Japanese government were left with an $11 billion debt (Burton and O’Reilly, 2009). In Athens, public investment exceeded $10 billion, and in Beijing, more than $40 billion.

Is It Worth It?
Finance and Development
March 2010

A Brief History of the World Cup

This article offers a concise history of the World Cup, and its path to South Africa.

In June 2010 the World Cup will finally arrive in Africa, after 80 years of travelling between America, Europe and, in 2002, Asia.

Now that Africa has finally been chosen to stage the finals, the tournament - so long the property of Europeans and South Americans - can properly be called the World Cup.

World Cup finally comes to Africa
Independent Online
November 25, 2009

Odd Pick for England's 2018/2022 Host City List, But Surprises Await

A surprising name was included in England's list of proposed venues for their 2018/2022 World Cup bid: Home Park, Plymouth. The stadium is much smaller than most FIFA regulations require, and not exactly one of the most famous venues in England. But supporters say broad renovation plans will turn Home Park into one of the country's finest stadia.

Plymouth’s presentation to England’s World Cup Bid panel included ambitious plans to upgrade the stadium to a 46,000 “Wembley of the West”. The club is already committed to a £20 million expansion of the stadium to hold 27,000 regardless of the bid, with plans to increase the capacity to 46,000 should the bid be successful at a cost of a further £30 million.

The stadium design is by Populous, one of the world’s leading stadia-design firms, also responsible for Wembley Stadium. Of particular interest was that a representative of American firm AEG, who have built and operated MLS stadia for a few years now, joined the Plymouth delegation’s presentation to the panel, with AEG slated to operate the stadium.

An Unlikely World Cup Venue: Home Park, Plymouth
Pitch Invasion
December 16, 2009

England 2018 Sites Prepare for Inspection

15 cities in England are preparing for site visits from FIFA officials to determine whether they are appropriate sites for a possible 2018 World Cup, which England is hoping to secure.

Two inspection teams from the England World Cup bid will visit all the cities over the next two months, starting at Bristol and finishing with Newcastle.

Each will have two inspections before a shortlist is drawn up by December.

Cities to put case as 2018 hosts
BBC
July 7, 2009

World Cup May Serve as 'Catalyst' For Olympics in South Africa

Olympic Games officials have said that the 2010 World Cup in South Africa could serve as a catalyst for the country to host a future Olympics.

The 2010 soccer World Cup in South Africa could act as a catalyst for a successful bid for the Olympics from the continent, Olympic chief Jacques Rogge said on Monday.

..."I believe that after South Africa has organised the World Cup there will probably be other candidatures from Africa and I'm convinced that with time in the medium term, maybe a decade, there will be a possibility."

Source:
World Cup could be catalyst for African Games
Independent Online
March 30, 2009

The History of Problems in World Cup Host Countries

Much has been made about the potential problems facing South Africa as it prepares to host the World Cup. But it's not the first host nation to encounter some stumbles. This post from SoccerLens provides a nice historical summary of some of the major problems host countries have faced -- from natural disasters to transit strikes to brutal totalitarian regimes.

A World Cup is undoubtedly the most anticipated and celebrated event on the football calendar. Every four years we are treated to a feast of football that comprises of the picturesque stadiums, the fanatical fans and the scintillating action unfolding on the pitch. Although with politics and sport often inextricably linked, there has rarely been a World Cup pass by without some form of controversy.

So with South Africa 2010 only just around the corner should we really be panicking about the potential problems that have been bandied around the media? It’s certainly difficult to tell at this stage but one thing for sure is that South Africa isn’t the first and clearly won’t be the last nation to be affected by the hullabaloo of hosting the football World Cup.

Source:
A World Coup? Host Nations and World Cup Catastrophes
SoccerLens
March 27, 2009

Recession Weighs Heavily as Hopeful Hosts Convene in Denver

Olympic planners and hopeful representatives of prospective future host cities are in Denver this week for a conference on international sporting events. The downturn in the economy is a major focus of the meetings, especially for London, where the recession's timing has been unfortunate for the city's 2012 preparations.

The recession forms the backdrop to the SportAccord convention and International Olympic Committee executive board meetings in Denver, the biggest gathering of international sports officials in the United States since the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

More than 1,000 delegates are expected to attend the conference, which will feature key public presentations Wednesday by the four candidates for the 2016 Olympics -- Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo. With six months to go before the Oct. 2 vote in Copenhagen, the cities are trying to position themselves as the most financially secure to cope with the downturn.

...

Despite the pressures, London organizers remain confident they will come within the overall 9.325 billion pound ($13.6 billion) budget for venues, infrastructure and regeneration. The figure is more than double the original estimate.

Source:
Recession forms backdrop of Olympic conference
Sports Illustrated
March 23, 2009