A quote from Ruddy Kev talking about the bid;
” “Apart from Cathy Freeman’s final in the 2000 Olympics, no other event united Australians more than our team’s win to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, and our subsequent games in Germany,” Rudd said.”

Nuff said.

So, having said that …

VC -

Since you don’t believe that the WC should go to Spain or the US (and following your reasoning, it shouldn’t go to Mexico, Japan or Korea either), who deserves the “non-Europe” WC ahead of Australia?

What’s that? You think both WCs should be awarded to Europe? Interesting.

I would like to see the Aussies get it in 2022, and it probably is a more realistic proposition than 2018. Spain/Portugal and England seem to be the favourites for 2018, and Europe seems to be the prefered destination.

Massive statement Matt … based on what ???

A counter argument is that, well, may as well hold it in Asia proper if we want to apeal to Asians – but – with China out of the bidding, the only two real alternatives to Austalia hosted the event only 7 years ago.

For the 2022 WC, the argument about appealing to Asia’s teeming masses will be almost impossible to counter, and Australia can benefit from it, no doubt.

2022 people, 2022, don’t worry about anything earlier.

This is typical of the Eurocentric bias FIFA is run on and typical of a Europeans response on Australian Football. I would reccommend you read into the history of Football in Australia, it started off as an ethnic sport and has turned mainstream in the past couple of years, something quite inspiring to say the least.

I love seeing the Aussies get one over against European opposition, we’ve come a long way from the days of ethnic based clubs. Most Europeans laugh at the very thought of an Australian football team, when we beat them it’s like there’s egg on their face. Sounds just like when the Ashes were invented…. the Brits looked down at us, we beat them at their own game and what happened was history. A typical example of Aussies proving a point. That’s why Aussie love the Socceroos.

To have a World Cup in Europe is just another world cup… big deal. Germany 2006 was an example. Yes, the Europeans were happy the tournament on their own backyard, but it in terms of television audience it wasn’t as sucessful as Japan/Korea 2002. It would make great business sense as there are a couple of billion audience in our time zone in prime time and the Europenas won’t be disadvantaged as they can watch at lunchtime. For some of the Brits over here they can start the drinking early and make a day of it. Fair enough Australia is only 21 million, but in terms of World Sport we’re right up there for pretty much everything… this is the last frontier for Aussie sport!

Viscount Crouchback said:

“..it is outrageous that the likes of Spain and the United States are even applying.” US hosted the most attended WC ever. It was extremely successful; great stadiums; great TV spectacle. 300 million multicultural population.

“Why should FIFA choose a nation of just 21m people who don’t even like football much?” It’s not even so much about the growth of the game within Australia although it will boost it. It’s because we have the right ingredients. We are a first world nation. We are a popular tourist destination; everyone likes Australia. We have the infrastructure (or could build it). FIFA wants another Asian host. We are in the Asian time zone and Asia is the biggest market. Japan and Korea have already done it and we have far less pollution than China. We have successfully hosted the Olympics, Rugby WC etc. We are safe and far from northern hemisphere hooliganism and terrorism.

The Asian schtick is just clever PR from Lowy – nothing more, nothing less.

You don’t buy the Asian nonsense … well well well …. government & business have… just to explain Asian shares a similar time zone to Australia and has 4.5 billion people many who love football …. it will showcase off Australia to the fastest growing area in the world …. and as Gun’s & Roses say … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yir4erYkyIs once you get use to the idea

And I don’t buy this Asian nonsense at all. It’s just a way of hiding the fact that Australia is a relatively small market.

8.85 million watched the 2005 World Cup Qualifier against Uruguay… The World Cup match Australia V Japan 7.8 million… at 2:00 AM on a cold winter’s morning 6.85 million watched Italy V Australia … cough cough wink wink … so whats that again Australian don’t like football …

The comaprison to the NFL is a good one. The AFL and the NRL are by far the most popular football codes in australia.

Also, it is outrageous that the likes of Spain and the United States are even applying. They had it in 1982 and 1994 respectively. It is simply greedy and selfish for them to be applying again so soon.

Anyone with an ounce of sense knows that England’s turn is long overdue.

When Europe gets 2018 (as it inevitably will), about four will drop out, and another two will rejoin the process – but the chances against those that remain for 2022 are damn good (plus I think we’re better off waiting that long to get our infrastructure spot on).

It’s all about the 24 blokes on the FIFA Executive. To talk about anything else is neither here or there, it’s about the 24 blokes (amongst whom we will find the most corrupt men on Earth and for whom it is impossible to find a big enough trough for their collective snouts).

You started analysing the breakdown, but stopped short – this is an area worth exploring.

By the way, can you or anyone confirm whether a couple of the bidders are only going after 2022 and not 2018 (most are going for both).

More importantly, what will the $45.6 million from taxpayers be used for? For altruistic means or trying to gain favours with FIFA executive members such as Jack Warner from Concacaf?

The economic benefits from hosting the biggest sporting event on the planet are massive, even considering the upgrade or building of new stadia. At least new stadia would receive more use than some facilities from the 2000 Olympic Summer Games.

But given the lack of accountability within FIFA, can we be guaranteed the federal govenment’s cash will not be placed into Swiss bank accounts of FIFA members?

The odds are against us winning 2018 due to Europe, the centre of world football, having last held the tournament in 2006. Australian officials will benefit from learning the political ropes of international football. Remember, Sydney was Australia’s third consecutive bid to host the Olympic Games, following the failures of Brisbane (1992) ad Melbourne (1996).

If Asia does not win the right to host either in 2018 or 2022, then the elephant in the region looms for subsequent bids, China.

Frank Lowy was pleased when China decided not to bid for either tournament.

Disagree with comparing the US sporting position to that of Australia in relation to football.

First Gridiron is by way the number one code in the US … whereas AFL is kinda first among equals shared with RL, RU & Football. Second in the US football is much for a middle class game and struggles for support from the working class… in Australia football is very much a working class game. Thirdly football enjoys the second sport choice of many RL / AFL & RU folk.. Finally being in Asia and wanting to connect with Asian business will in time (look no further than Clive Palmer) bring a lot of business / government & media support… The business & government is already there and building… the media will follow…

One would say the same about this country, but I think it’s irrelevant in this debate. It’s not the challenge (it wasn’t for USA 94).

Our challenges are the European bias in world football’s power, and the Iberian bid in particular will be the front runner. Then I see Russia as the primary challenge. Russia’s economy is in free fall at the moment, but that will pick up as soon as the global economy does (and the commodity prices start climbing again).

To be frank I don’t care what effect hosting a World Cup might have on football in this country; I’m more interested in having the world’s biggest sporting circus in town. I went skiing in NZ in 2000 to avoid the Olympics; I’ll stay in Australia for the World Cpu!

Winds me up over in the UK when people talk about the Socceroos in a derogatory fashion. Let’s prove to the world we’re awesome!

We won’t just get the world cup, it’ll be the best World Cup the world has seen!

Ok, yes Australia would have the strongest bid, but we have to ask the question, do we have the political support in Asia. I don’t know the exact system for how Asia would chose its sole bidder, but consider the scenario that each member state gets one vote. So, all the Middle Eastern countries would vote for Qatar, all the ASEAN countries would vote for Indonesia. That leaves Australia, South Korea and Japan scrapping it out to get the votes from the countries that lay between India, the former Soviet states and Mongolia. Would we have the political weight in Asia to pull that off, regardless of how good our bid, or how bad someone else’s bid would be??

I just hope that the FFA are aware of this possibilty and are saving money to also impress some of the AFC delegates and not spending it all on Uncle Sepp and friends.

Any thoughts?