England 2018 World Cup Bid

[tomjackson]

Well that was a big waste of £450 Million!

I would have liked the world cup here but at least we don't have to hear about it for the next 8 years!

[Ian Price]

Indeed.

I think Putin's comedy timing is classic. To suggest that world leaders boycott the ceremony because of wide spread corruption (or words to that effect) was genius. He said it with no hint of irony either.

[Sifu Ben]

You know, I can see it being in Russia, but Qatar?? If that decision wasn't about money I don't know what was. Football's being reduced to the level of F1 where any geopolitical non-entity can host an event if they've got the money. Are all the stadiums going to be enclosed and air conditioned? Because otherwise playing in Qatar in June/July will be a disaster.

[nfe]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-z2jtUS9-Y&feature=player_embedded#!

The comments on this are tremendous. Racist cretins alarmed about their football getting Islamified.

[Alex]

You know, I can see it being in Russia, but Qatar?? If that decision wasn't about money I don't know what was. Football's being reduced to the level of F1 where any geopolitical non-entity can host an event if they've got the money. Are all the stadiums going to be enclosed and air conditioned? Because otherwise playing in Qatar in June/July will be a disaster.

Actually Quatar is the one I can understand fully. A very complete and thought-out plan AND the first time in an Arabian country - which was long overdue anyway.

Russia is what I am surprised of.

[Matt77]

Fingers crossed for 2030 when it's next in Europe?

[FELINEGUITARS]

Well that was a big waste of £450 Million!

I would have liked the world cup here but at least we don't have to hear about it for the next 8 years!

I don't understand....What has cost us half a billion?
Seriously is that what the bid to get the world cup has cost? (and we still didn't get it.....)
Who is picking up that bill for that ?

The Olympics will continue to be a millstone round our necks for years  - we could have done without it , and the same is also true for the World cup- you can watch it on the telly anyway.

It's not like our team can actually play judging by this years  performance

[Alex]

Who is picking up that bill for that ?

You and me and all the other tax payers in this country.
We probably should be happy England lost out. ;-)

[FELINEGUITARS]

Seriously - has bidding for 2018 cost us £450 million?

[Sifu Ben]

You know, I can see it being in Russia, but Qatar?? If that decision wasn't about money I don't know what was. Football's being reduced to the level of F1 where any geopolitical non-entity can host an event if they've got the money. Are all the stadiums going to be enclosed and air conditioned? Because otherwise playing in Qatar in June/July will be a disaster.

Actually Quatar is the one I can understand fully. A very complete and thought-out plan AND the first time in an Arabian country - which was long overdue anyway.

Russia is what I am surprised of.

How is it long overdue exactly? The Arab Countries have only had league football for 30-40 years and are minnows on the international scene. In terms of FIFA's supposed continent based allocation Asia hosted a World Cup in 2002.
While Qatar undoubtedly offered spectacular facilities and are willing to throw huge resources at it, they can't escape the fact that it's a footballing non-entity with temperatures up to 50 degrees. We are talking about a country with a population of less than 1.5 million, a third of those being foreign workers! It's farcical.

[FernandoDuarte]

I hope nobody carries the wife there with non-"full-body-covering"-clothes...

[nfe]

Yeah it's not gonna work for all the female supporters calendars, is it?

[tomjackson]

Seriously - has bidding for 2018 cost us £450 million?

Heard it on the radio, thinking about it, it's the cost to stage the bid and lost guaranteed revenue.  It's a pointless figure really but shows what was riding on the decision.

Got to stop listening to Talk Sport!

[Philly Q]

While Qatar undoubtedly offered spectacular facilities and are willing to throw huge resources at it, they can't escape the fact that it's a footballing non-entity with temperatures up to 50 degrees. We are talking about a country with a population of less than 1.5 million, a third of those being foreign workers! It's farcical.

They said on the news tonight that the county only has two cities, but they'll be building five more by 2022 ("building five more cities"??!!!  :o :o ).  And nine air-conditioned stadia (posh: Latin  :lol: ), which they'll dismantle after the WC and send to Africa.

The whole thing is insane.

[tomjackson]

FIFA must have a good environmental policy!

What I though was sad about the South Africa world cup was how little of the revenue stayed locally and the fact there were half full stadiums because local people were priced out.