Qatar buys 2022 World Cup – FIFA is insane
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FIFA fiddles while Soccer burns
Fédération Internationale de Football Association), commonly known by the acronym FIFA, is the world body that operates world football (soccer). It runs the World Cup and it’s 22 member executives, from all geographic regions, decide which countries will host it’s prestigious World Cup, the biggest sporting event on the planet (sorry Olympics). FIFA has lost it’s marbles, it has gone insane.
Today, in Zurich, Switzerland, they announced the hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The Mafia controlled state of Russia won the 2018 bid, but it is a country with stadiums, more than one airport and a soccer tradition. But Qatar winning the 2022 bid is nothing but outrageous.
What time does the game start?
Connecticut is bigger than Qatar, a country of 4,000 square miles is going host 32 national teams, all their entourage, that’s 32 totally separate training facilities and 32 world class hotels, and that’s just for the teams. What about the fans? The two favorites to win the 2022 bid were Australia and USA, both countries have fabulous sporting infrastructure, dozens of airports, Qatar might have to build another one at least. The US and Australia have a proven track record of holding major international sporting events, but neither of them have as much oil and gas as Qatar.
Oil and gas have made Qatar the second highest per-capita income country – following Liechtenstein – and one of the world’s fastest growing. Proved oil reserves of 15 billion barrels should enable continued output at current levels for 37 years. Qatar’s proved reserves of natural gas are nearly 26 trillion cubic meters, about 14% of the world total and third largest in the world. Money has spoken in Zurich this morning with a very loud voice.
FIFA accused of corruption
FIFA has been accused of corruption for many years, as recently as last week the BBC show Panorama named three of FIFA’s voting members in another round of corruption charges. Soccer is such a cash cow around the world that the biggest bag of money (Swiss Francs please) will get you anything.
Qatar is 96% desert, it has 1.3% of arable land, no water and a soccer team that would struggle to make the top 100. Population 1.9 million, capital city Doha. The third largest city has a population of 31,000 the sixth largest 9,000. How will they cope with fans from around the world wanting to descend on their tiny state, or will they be allowed to go at all? Is it just the latest toy the oil-rich Arabs have bought for their own enjoyment? Thank you FIFA.
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[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Michael Scott, Holte Ender. Holte Ender said: RT @madmike1 Qatar buys 2022 World Cup – FIFA is insane http://bit.ly/dWh5Ur […]
As I understand it booze is banned is it not? If so you can count on 50% less attendance. I know I wouldn’t go and I doubt Mr. McDermott would either 🙂
Much easier for Sepp’s offspring (and Jack Warner, presumably; aside: anyone think he suffers from Keith Richardsitis and will live to be 117?) to make a few extra bucks with ticket scams in a nation about as populous as the county I live in as opposed to the Us of A or Jolly Ole.
I was hoping to catch at least one World Cup game in the flesh before I croak, but by the time 2018 or 2022 roll around, I’ll have to sell a kidney to pay for it and TSA will take the other because it might contain plastique.
Hi Randal – I was fortunate to see three games in the 66 World Cup (yeah) and saw a US qualifier in KC in 2001, nothing like it. FIFA are such dicks, they give the tournament to a team that has never qualified and to another that does, then doesn’t . . . the fans are going to be the big losers.