World Cup Bids (Announced: 2018-RUSSIA, 2022-QATAR)

[Locke]

Wow. FIFA corruption at its finest in my opinion.

Russia and Qatar effectively just bought themselves a World Cup.

I wouldnt go to either of these because you're just as likely to be shot, killed or imprisoned in either country for having done effectively nothing at all.

Not to mention, good luck getting a beer in Qatar outside of a stadium.

I'd have rather it been in Holland/Belgium personally.

I'm writing this as I think this through, as I've just sat down in my office and heard about this, and as thoughts come to my mind, and the more I mull this over, a World Cup in Qatar is effectively full on ######ed.

And I dont mean, a little slow and bad with reading comprehension, I mean full blown hunchbacked ######ed.

They're going to air condition a stadium and maintain 40,000-60,000 people at 20 degrees celsius in the middle of a desert in June? That'll happen the day me s*** turns purple and smells like Raspberry Sherbet.

And, even if they can pull it off, the pure energy requirements necessary are shocking. I never want to hear the words 'decadent western culture' ever again.

This is insane.

Not to mention, so much of a World Cup is the culture outside and around the spectacle itself. What about wandering through a street and trying to find a pub to grab a beer outside your hotel? Oh yeah. No Pubs.

A World Cup should never be held in a nation that doesnt have pubs. Its a blasphemy against the game.

But hey, it could be cool...

[d_phaneuf]

congratulations to the two most corrupt countries who spent the most to make it happen

way to go Sepp and Jack Warner

and England out in the first round and being punished for their media pushing stories about FIFA corruption, I hope Panarama spends the next 20 years just ending Sepp Blatter's career detailing all the corruption there, they only got about 1% of it in that one doc

[TopChed]

I thought I heard something about FIFA not wanting to use dual hosting countries anymore?

Just checked wikipedia and found this, about the selection of 2010 in South Africa:

Following the decision of the FIFA Executive Committee not to allow co-hosted tournaments, Tunisia withdrew from the bidding process. The committee also decided not to consider Libya's solo bid as it no longer met all the stipulations laid down in the official List of Requirements.

They didn't win this time, but I'm surprised there were bids from a couple of dual hosts.

[GirlySports]

Most of the games in Qatar will be at night since they are 3? hours ahead of European time. It wouldn't surprise me if the last game of the day and the World Cup Final are played at 10:30 or 11:00pm.

I believe that Moscow and Doha are in the same timezone and when the had that ManU-Chelsea Champions League final in Moscow a couple of years ago they played until 1am!

As for the drinking, I'm not 100% sure of the drinking laws but I think it's only their citizens who can't drink. My uncle has worked in Qatar and Oman and there are a few pubs for foreigners to drink at.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

congratulations to the two most corrupt countries who spent the most to make it happen

way to go Sepp and Jack Warner

and England out in the first round and being punished for their media pushing stories about FIFA corruption, I hope Panarama spends the next 20 years just ending Sepp Blatter's career detailing all the corruption there, they only got about 1% of it in that one doc

come on, it's great when someone out-corrupts the US!

[TopChed]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Most of the games in Qatar will be at night since they are 3? hours ahead of European time. It wouldn't surprise me if the last game of the day and the World Cup Final are played at 10:30 or 11:00pm.

I believe that Moscow and Doha are in the same timezone and when the had that ManU-Chelsea Champions League final in Moscow a couple of years ago they played until 1am!

As for the drinking, I'm not 100% sure of the drinking laws but I think it's only their citizens who can't drink. My uncle has worked in Qatar and Oman and there are a few pubs for foreigners to drink at.

Yeah but what about the group stage where there were triple headers every day?

It's still gonna be ridiculous for a lot of teams haha

[Table 5]

Did they consider hosting this thing in January or something? I know it would screw up the leagues, but come on, it's gonna be hot as balls just watching this thing on tv.

[Coys1882]

My EPL team Tottenham has a very large jewish fan base (hence: Yid Army) and the big Spurs forums have a lot of Isreali posters. They are saying that they aren't allowed to enter Qatar because of their citizenship. So what happens if Isreal qualifies for WC 2022???

[Locke]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Most of the games in Qatar will be at night since they are 3? hours ahead of European time. It wouldn't surprise me if the last game of the day and the World Cup Final are played at 10:30 or 11:00pm.

I believe that Moscow and Doha are in the same timezone and when the had that ManU-Chelsea Champions League final in Moscow a couple of years ago they played until 1am!

As for the drinking, I'm not 100% sure of the drinking laws but I think it's only their citizens who can't drink. My uncle has worked in Qatar and Oman and there are a few pubs for foreigners to drink at.

You going to pack a few hundred thousand travelling fans into a 'few' pubs? Those pub owners would be loving it I bet...

The more I think about this, the more I really dislike the Qatar bid. It just seems way too far fetched. Not to mention, the host country automatically qualifying? They're going to get slaughtered. Even further, what are they going to do about tickets? Reserve all the best ones for themselves and let all the 'filthy' foreigners fight for the rest?

The Russia one I can come to peace with, they're not exactly a subtle country but so long as they dont execute anyone at half before a game they should probably be alright.

And lets face it, Russia has the appropriate drinking Culture to make a World Cup an off-field success, or at the very least, significantly blur the on-field disaster.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

come on, it's great when someone out-corrupts the US!

When it comes to corrpution in bidding for events like this the US are amateurs. It's not even a contest.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Coys1882

My EPL team Tottenham has a very large jewish fan base (hence: Yid Army) and the big Spurs forums have a lot of Isreali posters. They are saying that they aren't allowed to enter Qatar because of their citizenship. So what happens if Isreal qualifies for WC 2022???

Apparently Qatar has allowed Israeli athletes to compete ther ein the past. How nice of them.

What an absolute disgrace.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Did they consider hosting this thing in January or something? I know it would screw up the leagues, but come on, it's gonna be hot as balls just watching this thing on tv.

Dude. Could you imagine being in an air conditioned stadium at 20 degrees for a few hours and then the game is over and you have to leave and likely cross the desert or some unreasonable crap like that in 40-60 degree heat? Yeah right, you'd fataing die. People would have a heart attack the second someone opened the freaking doors.

People will be camping in those goddamn stadiums if the A/C actually works.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Coys1882

So what happens if Isreal qualifies for WC 2022???

They last qualified 40 years ago. Something tells me it won't be an issue.

[Coys1882]

Originally Posted by Locke

Dude. Could you imagine being in an air conditioned stadium at 20 degrees for a few hours and then the game is over and you have to leave and likely cross the desert or some unreasonable crap like that in 40-60 degree heat? Yeah right, you'd fataing die. People would have a heart attack the second someone opened the freaking doors.

People will be camping in those goddamn stadiums if the A/C actually works.

They won't leave their hotels until the buses arrive and when the game is over it will be the same thing straight back to the hotels.

[Coys1882]

Originally Posted by Table 5

They last qualified 40 years ago. Something tells me it won't be an issue.

You never know - it's a fataing disgrace they have to qualify out of UEFA anyway. If there were in the ASIA group they would qualify for every major tournament.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Locke

Dude. Could you imagine being in an air conditioned stadium at 20 degrees for a few hours and then the game is over and you have to leave and likely cross the desert or some unreasonable crap like that in 40-60 degree heat? Yeah right, you'd fataing die. People would have a heart attack the second someone opened the freaking doors.

So it's basically going to be like Vegas x2?

[NBC]

This is all about the 'legacy' concept for FIFA. Traditional footballing nations are going to have a very difficult time in the future contesting these types of processes. Arguably you can't have much of a legacy in a place where there are modern stadiums, tourist facilities and infrastructure already in place. It's a sad day.

Apparently the English bid didn't get past the first round of voting.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Coys1882

You never know - it's a fataing disgrace they have to qualify out of UEFA anyway. If there were in the ASIA group they would qualify for every major tournament.

I don't disagree with you (Israel should be in the Asia group for sure), but I'm not sure it's that realistic to pick a World Cup based on the needs of one small country that probably won't make it anyway. I mean did people complain about the US getting the World Cup in 94 just in case Cuba would qualify?

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by NBC

This is all about the 'legacy' concept for FIFA.

Is that the fancy way of saying we're ready and willing to be bought for the right price?

[SeoulFire]

I would say unbelievable but considering it is FIFA it is more expected than anything else.