FIFA Rumored to want US/Canada to Replace Qatar as host venue for 2022 World Cup

[polak]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

If it's a joint bid, I would fully expect that each country will have an equal number of venues. In 2002, Japan and South Korea each had 10. I could see Canada doing six and USA doing six or even something like Canada doing six and USA doing 10 but an equal number of games on both sides of the border. 2008 Euro (Austria/Switzerland) and 2012 Euro (Poland/Ukraine) both also had an equal number of venues. I think that's the way it is.

This would be a great opportunity for Calgary to get their stadium built. I bet Toronto would get a new one, also. Maybe even Montreal. You blow out every stadium to Grey Cup size and you can make it work pretty easily.

Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Toronto, Winnipeg (or Regina) and Montreal.

Yeah, I was going to say that maybe a joint bid was CSA's plan all along. Sure the US may have bid by themselves before but they did end up losing. Maybe attaching their bid with an under developed soccer nation like Canada (which I'm sure Fifa sees as a huge opportunity. Easily the most developed Country in the world without a half decent team) will put them over the top?

It would be pretty ridiculous if Canada only got one or two cities and they called it "USA & Canada 2022".

[corporatejay]

Just like international politics, putting Canada on the bid "green washes" the US. I think we are an easier sell and quiets some of the "the US just had the tournament" comments.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Well lets be real, the US lost in 2022 because Qatar clearly won through bribery. So even if the US put together the greatest bid of all-time, Qatar had it in the bag. FIFA is of course the most corrupt (or second, take your pick between it and the IOC) organization in the world so it never matter what anyone did for 2022 bidding, Qatar had already paid for it.

The reason why 2 or 3 cities has been suggested is becuase realistically Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver are the only 3 citites in Canada who could definitively host with no issues. Here in Calgary for instance, we have a large shortage of cabs right now for just our own citizens. So it's insane to think it could handle an influx of 50,000 or more visitors for games. Edmonton is probably similar.

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

Because Manaus is such a hotspot for tourists.

Manaus is bigger than every city in Canada except Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. It's also right in the middle of the Amazon. Probably does attarct substantially more tourists than Winnipeg.

[polak]

It's not like this is next year... If the city can't have the Cab situation figured out by 2022 we have bigger problems...

Only thing stopping Calgary from being good to go is a stadium (because McMahon looks like it would be lower tier in a war torn country) and we know that a replacement is in the works with rumors connecting it specifically to a world cup or olympic bid... Easily doable by 2022.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by polak

If the city can't have the Cab situation figured out by 2022 we have bigger problems...

That kind of people movement is more about public transit, not so much taxis. Especially when people are coming from countries where public transit is highly utilized.

[polak]

Originally Posted by nik-

That kind of people movement is more about public transit, not so much taxis. Especially when people are coming from countries where public transit is highly utilized.

That shouldn't be an issue? Even if the SELRT isn't built yet. People aren't going to be staying in the deep SE... Expand to the airport and add some trains. Good enough.

[_Q_]

Yeah people talk as if Canada is a third world back water nation with no money and crumbling infrastructure and a total of zero stadiums with the capacity to hold big events.

If third world countries like South Africa and Brazil can pull it off, you know damn well can pull off hosting a full world cup, let alone half of one as is being proposed.

Every fricking year we hold a Grey Cup in a different Canadian city and getting 40,000 fans into the city, into hotels and at the stadiums seems to go off fairly well. We've hosted two of the best winter Olympics in history (one very recently) without any problems. Yeah I know the world cup is a different animal, but it's not that steep of a hill to climb to get there.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by polak

That shouldn't be an issue? Even if the SELRT isn't built yet. People aren't going to be staying in the deep SE... Expand to the airport and add some trains. Good enough.

And this is exactly why it's difficult to see Canada hosting. It's gonna cost a lot of money for what amounts to the country's 5th (maybe?) most popular sport. It's a very, very tough sell. The reason it's not as much in the US is there is no cost associated except security (and even that will be astronomical for the US). But Canada, especially in a solo hosting scenario, would have to spend a lot. For a sport we rank below Moldova, Equatorial Guinea, Benin and Gabon (but hey we are ahead of Liberia and Sudan), it just doesn't seem likely most Canadians will be for it.

[AltaGuy]

There's a part of me that still thinks it should remain in Qatar because 1,500 people have already died building the pyramids. Er, I mean the World Cup venues.

But then hopefully no one else would die if they shelved the rest of it. All the workers would ignominiously be sent back to Nepal and Pakistan I guess.

What a horrible, horrible thing FIFA has done.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by corporatejay

Just like international politics, putting Canada on the bid "green washes" the US. I think we are an easier sell and quiets some of the "the US just had the tournament" comments.

It could also be a way for FIFA to recognize both Canada's role in hosting major women's tournaments, and the fact that our capability to host the men's WC is limited.

The simple fact is, if you need 12 host venues, Canada is never going to host this solo. As a 6-6 or 8-4 split with the US, it works for us.

[seattleflamer]

Originally Posted by AltaGuy

There's a part of me that still thinks it should remain in Qatar because 1,500 people have already died building the pyramids. Er, I mean the World Cup venues.

But then hopefully no one else would die if they shelved the rest of it. All the workers would ignominiously be sent back to Nepal and Pakistan I guess.

What a horrible, horrible thing FIFA has done.

It should stay for a different reason.

Geopolitically (and leave out corruption and human rights issues for now), having the World Cup in the Middle East is a powerful symbol of their engagement in world affairs considering the perceived or real damage the West has done recently and for centuries to this part of the world.

In other words, FIFA, as a creation and still dominated by the West, is now obligated to reward Qatar's projection of soft power which is preferable to the alternate Islamic nihilism which we see and suffer from now.

Taking the WC away at this point reinforces a vicious cycle and continued bias against the West. So yeah, ends justify some of the means.

[AltaGuy]

I'm hesitant justifying 1,500 deaths through an appeal to colonial grievances.

Also, given the extreme schisms in the Arab and Muslim worlds right now, if FIFA pulls the world cup, I doubt the rest of the region bats an eye.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by _Q_

The most recent FIFA events that were split between two countries were the 2002 Japan/ Korea World Cup and the 2012 Ukraine/Poland Euro.

No one gives any respect to 2008 Switzerland/Austria

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by nik-

Germany got two World Cups 32 years apart. This would be 28 for the US, so it's not outrageous.

but they're in Europe, and have a big Football following there unlike the US....

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by seattleflamer

It should stay for a different reason.

Geopolitically (and leave out corruption and human rights issues for now), having the World Cup in the Middle East is a powerful symbol of their engagement in world affairs considering the perceived or real damage the West has done recently and for centuries to this part of the world.

In other words, FIFA, as a creation and still dominated by the West, is now obligated to reward Qatar's projection of soft power which is preferable to the alternate Islamic nihilism which we see and suffer from now.

Taking the WC away at this point reinforces a vicious cycle and continued bias against the West. So yeah, ends justify some of the means.

Cant drink there and I'm sure Budweiser would be jumping for joy to sponsor the thing

[Scrambler]

Originally Posted by nik-

I was referring to the actual host cities, not the teams. I'm not actually sure if both hosts are automatically put in. Were both Japan and Korea included without having to qualify?

edit: yes, it appears all hosts automatically qualify, even on a double bid. Sweet!

Exactly, CONCACAF would lose 2 qualifying spots in that process. So Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Jamaica etc would all be fighting for only 2 places!

[GirlySports]

just one spot.. the Hosts are 1 separate spot.

[Senator Clay Davis]

The 2022 World Cup will not be held in Qatar because of the scorching temperatures in the Middle East country, the Fifa Executive Committee member Theo Zwanziger predicted on Monday.

“I personally think that in the end the 2022 World Cup will not take place in Qatar,” the German told Sport Bild on Monday.

“Medics say that they cannot accept responsibility with a World Cup taking place under these conditions,” the former German football (DFB) chief, who is now a member of the world football’s governing body Fifa that awarded the tournament to Qatar in 2010.

Although Qatar has insisted that a summer World Cup is viable thanks to cooling technologies it is developing for stadiums, training areas and fan zones, there is still widespread concern over the health of the players and visiting supporters.

“They may be able to cool the stadiums but a World Cup does not take place only there,” Zwanziger said.

“Fans from around the world will be coming and travelling in this heat and the first life-threatening case will trigger an investigation by a state prosecutor. That is not something that Fifa Exco members want to answer for.“

Fifa is looking to shift the tournament to a European winter date to avoid the scorching summer where temperatures routinely rise over 40C (104F).

However, talk of a potential change away from the usual June-July dates has resulted in plenty of opposition from domestic leagues around the world, worried the schedule switch would severely disrupt them.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...ger?CMP=twt_gu

[GirlySports]

Hmmm, so it is hot in the Middle East in Summer. Nobody could have seen that coming. Sure 125 degree temps aren't ideal for an endurance running sport, but the issues with the tiny area millions of fans and numerous stadiums will be crammed into is a nightmare as well. If you've been to a World Cup, you'll know there are a bazillion things to do there other than just going to the stadium.

[Resolute 14]

However, talk of a potential change away from the usual June-July dates has resulted in plenty of opposition from domestic leagues around the world, worried the schedule switch would severely disrupt them.

Aww, the poor muffins are upset that they might have suffer once what MLS endures every single year.