Australia will host the 2022 Football World Cup
Columnist By Spiro Zavos, 14 Dec 2009 Spiro Zavos is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- 2022 World Cup, FIFA, football, Sepp Blatter, world cup bid, World Cup football
131 Have your say
FIFA President Sepp Blatter, left, talks with Football Australia chairman Frank Lowy as they arrive at the opening ceremony for the 58th FIFA congress in Sydney, Thursday, May 29, 2008. AP Photo/Mark Baker
Here is a fearless prediction: England will win the rights to host the 2018 Football World Cup tournament, and Australia will win the hosting rights to the 2022 tournament.
In 2018 it will be Europe’s turn to host the Football World Cup and England’s bid is for all sorts of reasons, financial, geographical and historical, far and away the best and most compelling bid.
That leaves 2022 and the fact that the Football World Cup, after South Africa next year, will have been played in all of FIFA’s regions except one. That exception is Oceania.
Australia moved from the Oceania region to the Asian region of FIFA some year ago. But it’s bid will be promoted (and rightly so) as an Asian/Oceania bid.
In an intriguing article recently in the Sydney Morning Herald, Mike Cockerill, that newspaper’s long-time football writer and Fox Sports commentator, made the point that ‘ever since Joao Havelange ascended the throne in Zurich on 1974, the overriding strategy of FIFA has been to complete the global footprint.
Havelang’a mantra was embraced even more wholeheartedly by his successor, Sepp Blatter, when he took over in 1998.
According to Cockerill, football outspends the two football codes in Oceania by 10 to one in terms of infrastructure. A great deal of this money has come from FIFA through its “hugely successful” GOAL program.
The final boot to drop for FIFA in its Oceania/Asia ambitions, then, is a Football World Cup tournament in Australia, with possibly a round being played in Auckland.
After the renovations made for the 2012 Rugby World Cup, Eden Park in Auckland will be a superb rectangular ground that will conform to the FIFA guidelines by holding 50,000 spectators.
Australia’s main rival for 2022 will be the United States. Right now the USA is on the outer with the world sports officials.
A pointer to the hostility of the international sporting community to the United States can be gauged by its abject failure to get Chicago up for the 2016 Olympics (despite the presence of President Obama). The winner for 2016 was the virtually dysfunctional city of Rio.
With Australia having hosted the best Olympics in 2000 and the best Rugby World Cup tournament in 2007, the nation has an international reputation for running superb international events. The delegates who vote for the Football World Cup tournaments will be aware of all of this.
FIFA’s game plan to spread the football code as thickly as it can into all parts of the globe will also play a part in the final vote.
In the interests of nation-building that will come from hosting a Football World Cup (the biggest sporting event on earth) in Australia, the NRL and the AFL should do what the ARU is doing and support the bid while keeping a watching brief on its own interests.
The main task of the FFA is to present a compelling selling brief to FIFA when it makes its bid next year. This needs to conform to FIFA’s requirements about rival codes and rectangular stadiums. But once the bid is accepted, then the negotiations will take place with FIFA over changes that need to be made.
But the bid has to be won first before this can happen.
And it will happen, once the bid is won. For instance, FIFA requires bans on competing ‘major events’ during the Football World Cup tournament in the host country. But Major League Baseball was allowed to be played in the United States in 1994 when the World Cup was held in that country.
Berlin Olympic Stadium, where the 1936 Olympics were held, which is more round than rectangular, hosted the final of the 2006 Football World Cup held in Germany. So much for the rectangular stadium requirement. In fact, two of the Socceroos matches in the 2006 Football World Cup were played in round stadiums.
Back to Mike Cockerill’s article for a final point. He reckons that FIFA is starting to see a great deal of merit in pushing into its final frontier of Australia and the Oceania nations: “Thanks to the posturing of rival codes, it’s listening more than ever. Threatening the World Cup bid equals threatening FIFA, and FIFA doesn’t take kindly to being threatened.”
So here’s an irony.
The more Andrew Demetriou and David Gallop threaten, the stronger becomes the resolve in the football world to give them something, a Football World Cup in Australia, to shout about.
Recommend this story.
The Turkey 10
The Turkey 10 teams have now been selected, as Wild Turkey Bourbon's sport sponsorship kicks into the next exciting phase.
Choose which side you're going to support and get in the running to win $2,500!
Simply visit Wild Turkey Australia on Facebook for your chance to win.
Find out more.
- Explore:
- 2022 World Cup, FIFA, football, Sepp Blatter, world cup bid, World Cup football
December 14th 2009 @ 6:24am
Punter said | December 14th 2009 @ 6:24am | Report comment
Great article, great to see RUs support.
Bringit on!!!! I can’t wait. The world’s best footballers at our doorstep.
One small point the RU world cup in Australia which I throughly enjoyed was in 2003 not 2007.
December 14th 2009 @ 6:54am
Redb said | December 14th 2009 @ 6:54am | Report comment
It’s easier for rugby union to support becuase there is little interruption to their season. Now let’s work out how difficult it is to re-schedule a Bledisloe game or two and a super rugby comp that does not play in June/July.
The ARU would be hoping the WC does maximum damage to the NRL clubs and season. We haven’t heard a beep becuase deep down the ARU know this is much more of a problem to rugby league and any damage to their competitor strenghthens their position.
That’s fine each sport has to play its cards, it is obvious rugby union is keeping theirs very close to their chest.
Redb
December 14th 2009 @ 11:18am
Sam said | December 14th 2009 @ 11:18am | Report comment
The Super 14 is being expanded to Super 15, and so by 2018 or 2022 is it almost certain that Super rugby will be played in June/July. Any rescheduling of rugby union will have to get the agreement of the New Zealand and South African Rugby Unions – so it’s not simple. However the ARU probably want to host another Rugby World Cup one day and may need the FFA’s support to do that, so I think they will be as accommodating as they can.
December 14th 2009 @ 11:45am
Chuq said | December 14th 2009 @ 11:45am | Report comment
Sam, if that isn’t happening until after Dec 2010, then it’s then their job to work around the FFA, rather than the other way around.
In any case 2/3 of the Super xx teams are played outside of Australia, so rescheduling shouldn’t be a problem at all.
December 14th 2009 @ 11:52am
Sam said | December 14th 2009 @ 11:52am | Report comment
Its certainly not there job to work around the FFA, regardless of the dates of any expansion (2012 from memory). However I think they will able to fit around it as long as the South African and New Zealanders aren’t opposed to it.
December 15th 2009 @ 8:25am
Dave said | December 15th 2009 @ 8:25am | Report comment
Actually Chuq, the three countries will be broken into their own group stage with 5 teams (each team will play each other twice) so there will be 2 games in Australia EVERY weekend.
IMO Australians are addicted to sport and even diehard fans of one code are still happy to watch another code with you if you shout them a beverage or two. I think any international event is good for all codes!
December 15th 2009 @ 10:27pm
Brian said | December 15th 2009 @ 10:27pm | Report comment
Unlike AFL Rugby would benefit from vastly improved stadiums if a WC bid was won. 40,000 rectangular stadiums in Newcastle & Canberra, an upgraded Suncorp & ANZ. The NRL & ARU should get a lot more from a WC than the AFL.
December 14th 2009 @ 6:55am
CraigB said | December 14th 2009 @ 6:55am | Report comment
RedB – My understanding is the new super comp will run into june/july. That is when the extra local games will be played.
December 14th 2009 @ 7:06am
Redb said | December 14th 2009 @ 7:06am | Report comment
CraigB,
In Australia at least without purposefully being unkind super rugby is a bit player on the landscape at this time. The impact is minimal in comparison to the NRL and AFL 8 games a week in May/June/July.
Redb
December 14th 2009 @ 9:19am
Michael C said | December 14th 2009 @ 9:19am | Report comment
I gather a lot of people in soccer land don’t quite understand that when they suggest the AFL can work around missing it’s 2 primary stadia in Melbourne, they don’t seem to comprehend that between them, they host on average 4 matches per week, with TD avg crowd around 38K and the MCG at 49K,
Should both venues be out of action for 6-8 weeks, we’re talking 24-32 matches with a general average of 43,000 to somehow be redistributed.
It’s nice and easy for RU folk to envisage one home game a fortnight for the one team town/state that they have in the Super Rugby comp.
There’s just no comparison.
At the end of the day, the AFL MIGHT be workable, were it not for the presence of the NRL, and likewise, the NRL might be workable were it not for the presence of the AFL.
and a FIFA WC might be doable were it not for the presence of both the AFL and NRL……..although, ironically, it’s ONLY doable because of the venues of the AFL and NRL. Funny that.
December 14th 2009 @ 9:45am
Mr said | December 14th 2009 @ 9:45am | Report comment
Michael C, it’s been done to death and the cup won’t kick off for a minimum 9 years. You’ll have your answer in May 2010.
December 14th 2009 @ 9:58am
Redb said | December 14th 2009 @ 9:58am | Report comment
I’ve heard the argument a few times along the lines of “why are you worried about an event in 9 or 13 years”
or “your asking for details so far out in the future”
Well let’s deal in the facts.
By May 2010 (just 6 months away) the bid has to be finalised and the details of how the WC will be hosted including stadium use has to be worked out including negotiation by all parties.
No good the AFL or NRl in 2017 going “hang on how is this supposed to work for us?”
Redb
December 14th 2009 @ 11:57am
Mr said | December 14th 2009 @ 11:57am | Report comment
As I said, in May 2010 you will have the answer. How is it productive going round in a mine is bigger argument before then. The stakeholders including govt, infrastructure owners, chamber of commerce and the other codes are in discussion at executive level.
December 14th 2009 @ 12:14pm
Michael C said | December 14th 2009 @ 12:14pm | Report comment
Mr -
if you follow that logic, then, none of us should bother on here at all and we’ll return to our ‘stress balls’……
….where’s the fun in that???
December 14th 2009 @ 7:15am
Brett McKay said | December 14th 2009 @ 7:15am | Report comment
kind of, CraigB. From 2011, the Super 15 will run through to August, but with a three or four week break for the June internationals. So Redb is sort of right, there would be a little bit of disruption to the season. Though with at least 2 and maybe 3 of the Australian Super sides’ home grounds to be used for the WC (Suncorp, SFS, Canberra), the disruption could be significant if the draw can’t be shuffled enough.
That all said, come 2018, or 2022, who knows how or even if Super rugby will be structured and run…
December 14th 2009 @ 7:14am
TammyS said | December 14th 2009 @ 7:14am | Report comment
completely agree with the article. I dont think us winning the rights is as unrealistic as some people think it is.
December 14th 2009 @ 7:31am
AlexMilic said | December 14th 2009 @ 7:31am | Report comment
england no chance unless they pay Blatter millions and millions. They are doing everything possible to win just look at their team, An Italian coach who they pay 8mill pounds what a joke. They are trying so hard
December 14th 2009 @ 7:41am
Spiro Zavos said | December 14th 2009 @ 7:41am | Report comment
Just a slip of the pen regarding the Rugby World Cup held in Australia. It was in 2003 not 2007. Another point I failed to make in my article is that Australia’s bid is making a virtue out of our supposed isolation by pointing out that the vast majority of people on the globe live in the Asian region.
I was initially a sceptic about the chances of Australia winning the right to host either the 2018 or 2022 tournaments. I thought that there was an element of PM Kevin Rudd trying to grandstand in the international community (with a view to winning the job of Secretary-General of the Nations at some point) in his promotion of the bid.
There is also the politics of pursuing the ‘soccer mums’ vote, which I believe is part of the calculation.
But there is also a genuine notion of nation-building involved in bidding for and winning the bid.
The Football World Cup is the greatest show on earth in its year. It would be a tremendous achievement for Australia to win it.
My understanding from sources that can’t be named is that Australia’s bid is being looked at very favorably.
Now the FFA has to put in a compelling selling bid, which should not be hard to do given Australia’s history going back to the 1956 Olympics with hosting great international tournaments.
The time for haggling over schedules and cocmpensation (if any) should come after the bid has been won.
December 14th 2009 @ 9:06am
$1 Billion Compensation for AFL/NRL said | December 14th 2009 @ 9:06am | Report comment
I hardly think the AFL and NRL should sign away their rights without hard figures already being set in stone – what a terrible negotiating position?
Would you sign a blank cheque to a competitor and then try and work out the amount later? Wouldn’t you establish the damages and compo and then sign it?
By the way – the May “deadline” is nothing of the sort, it is a FIFA edict, but last I looked the AFL/NRL are not in the least bit bound by this deadline
December 14th 2009 @ 10:26am
Michael C said | December 14th 2009 @ 10:26am | Report comment
after the lack of Asian Cup ‘tourism’ when 4 nations shared hosting rights, the ‘Asian’ egg is one still wanted to be cracked……but, the total optimism on behalf of the Australian taxpayer is a dangerous gamble.
December 14th 2009 @ 10:51am
stevo said | December 14th 2009 @ 10:51am | Report comment
its not so much the tourism that will sway the FIFA decision makers, the benefit we have w.r.t asia is time zones. like almost all modern sport competitions, a lot of the revenue from the world cup comes from TV. asia being closer to our time zone means prime time games in asia, which has a huge potential audience.
btw i think its foolish to compare the tourism draw of the asian cup held in vietnam, indonesia, thailand and malaysia to a world cup in australia. ignoring the obvious domination of the quality of football, the infrastructure, accommodation, stadia and lack of red tape involved with travelling between countries for games makes the comparison pointless.
December 14th 2009 @ 10:38am
Michael C said | December 14th 2009 @ 10:38am | Report comment
btw – FIFA is famous for giving people ‘positive feedback’,
they don’t like too many bids falling over too soon,
nothing worse than only Brazil still in the ‘race’ and Sepp getting to the podium and announcing to the world ‘And the winner is…….’
December 14th 2009 @ 7:58am
Paulo Roberto Sanchotene said | December 14th 2009 @ 7:58am | Report comment
World Cups are played in one month. AFL and NRL are held on one-game-per-week basis. That being said, no more than 5 rounds (let’s make it 6) would face any trouble because of the World Cup. NRL and ARL Finals start on September, and the WC would be long gone by then.
It’s manageble to schedule the season in order to avoid WC stadia in that month, making teams playing away in that period, or playing home in an alternative stadium wherever possible. Some stadia, actually, would be free after first and second round, and that is after 15 to 19 days.
I just can’t see the problem. Mainly because it would be once in a life time…
December 14th 2009 @ 8:05am
Redb said | December 14th 2009 @ 8:05am | Report comment
The WC requires at least a 4 week preparation window prior to the commencement of the World Cup. It is a 8 week no go zone at least. Possibly 10 weeks according to Ben Buckley.
December 14th 2009 @ 9:01am
AndyRoo said | December 14th 2009 @ 9:01am | Report comment
It’s up to the individual codes what they do but they could get away with 4 weeks of split rounds in the lead up month then a 3 week rest and then back to full rounds (one the round of 16 starts more and more venues come o nline for AFL/NRL use). That put’s them 5 weeks behind schedule so start one week early and have a gf in October.
That 3 weeks rest wouldn’t have to be rest though, it could be filled with extra money makers like AFL SOO, Indegenous All stars matches, NRL Sevens Tournaments, a RL test agaisnt NZ etc etc.
That would mean their full program of matches in their regular grounds plus extra revenue makers. For the AFL they would need docklands though or it’s just not workable….. Andy D is on the money.
December 14th 2009 @ 9:07am
$1 Billion Compensation for AFL/NRL said | December 14th 2009 @ 9:07am | Report comment
I don’t think a RL test against NZ would pass the international sporting comp rule would it?
December 14th 2009 @ 9:41am
AndyRoo said | December 14th 2009 @ 9:41am | Report comment
You play it in NZ!
You must be ab AFL fan to not grasp that concept
December 14th 2009 @ 8:47pm
Greg said | December 14th 2009 @ 8:47pm | Report comment
AndyRoo: Woosh!
December 14th 2009 @ 9:50am
Redb said | December 14th 2009 @ 9:50am | Report comment
Agree, we would all not be arguing about this if the FFA had stuck with their initial use of just the MCG and not Etihad as well.
December 14th 2009 @ 9:06am
Phutbol said | December 14th 2009 @ 9:06am | Report comment
Thats only for the stadia in use though Redb. local alternate venues would be availabe for all but 4-5weeks.
So 10 weeks max for WC stadia (MCG etc)
4 weeks of ‘blackout’ in cities hosting WC events….
very manageable i would have thought.
December 14th 2009 @ 9:52am
Redb said | December 14th 2009 @ 9:52am | Report comment
I think it is very manageable including the 4 week break in the middle of the AFL season. But Etihad cannot also be put of action for 8 weeks.
December 14th 2009 @ 8:52am
Paulo Roberto Sanchotene said | December 14th 2009 @ 8:52am | Report comment
Let’s say that the WC would be played between 6.10.22/7.10.22. In a WC, 56 of its 64 games are played in the first 19 days. So, it’s possible that only FOUR stadia would be in use after 6.28 (tuesday). FFA can organize a WC where 2 stadia would be free after someday between 6.22 and 6.24; another four would be available after someday between 6.25 and 6.28.
If your information is correct, the last NRL and/or AFL game before the WC could happen in 5.8 (sunday). So, we can conclude that, ina total of 10 WC stadia:
a) 2 stadia – 6 weeks WC exclusive;
b) 4 stadia – 7 weeks WC exclusive;
c) 2 stadia – 8 weeks WC exclusive;
d) 2 stadia – 9 weeks WC exclusive.
December 14th 2009 @ 10:20am
Chuq said | December 14th 2009 @ 10:20am | Report comment
Good plan. The catch being, the AFL/NRL would be crazy to compete against the finals/semi-finals. But that’s not FFA/FIFA’s problem – they can have access to the stadiums though, good luck with that!
December 14th 2009 @ 10:45am
Michael C said | December 14th 2009 @ 10:45am | Report comment
I think you’re missing something re you’re first statement :
” AFL and NRL are held on one-game-per-week basis. ”
Are you aware of ground rationalisation in Victoria. AFL uses 2 primary venues for 9 Melb based clubs. On avg, 4 matches a week. Avg att b/w the 2 venues is 43,000.
We aren’t talking about 1 team towns here.
The NRL in Sydney is a tad different with many local suburban grounds still in use – however, in 9-13 years time I’d imagine they’d be thinking that might’ve changed too.
Let alone, the AFL is soon to be an 18 team comp – with potentially 5 Melb based games per week……although, hosting a GC or GWS might bring the atten avg down a tad!!!!
The potential disruption to lose BOTH Etihad and MCG for 6-9 weeks, it’s not just 6-9 home games that can be played away instead,
and, where do you go…..after all, this is a ‘national event’ is it not, hosting a FIFA WC….so big an event……that they’re trusting the FFA with it……….gawd, say no more!!!
December 14th 2009 @ 8:30am
Jameswm said | December 14th 2009 @ 8:30am | Report comment
If League us allowed to be played during the WC, I don’t see any dramas. St George/Illawarra, Newcastle, parra, Penrith, Tigers, Manly – they can all play at home. Several others too. Teams like the Roosters or Bunnies that predominantly use the SFS, can have away games scheduled for then. And they can have 3 split rounds over 6 weeks – a small price to pay for having improved stadia to play in afterwards.
Aussie Rules fans seem to be the ones shouting a lot more than League fans.
December 14th 2009 @ 9:22am
M1tch said | December 14th 2009 @ 9:22am | Report comment
Newcastle wont be able too, Souths and Roosters could even have a home game at the SCG too
December 14th 2009 @ 8:35am
Derryn said | December 14th 2009 @ 8:35am | Report comment
The FFA should work out an agreement with the NRL and AFL. Maybe if some games could be played during the World Cup period it would be give these sports unprecedented international exposure. They would not have to use the WC grounds.
We are definite chance at 2022.
December 14th 2009 @ 8:51am
Darwin hammer said | December 14th 2009 @ 8:51am | Report comment
Is this just another attempt at flogging a story for all its worth to garner hits on a blog – this topic was done to death all last week – yet monday arrives and the chief expert pens an article to merely restart what’s already a tired topic under the guise that Australia are in pole position to capture 2022 – when in reality they’re an outside chance at best …
December 14th 2009 @ 9:06am
Paulo Roberto Sanchotene said | December 14th 2009 @ 9:06am | Report comment
Actually, if you look at the competition, it’s hard not to point Australia among the favorites. Don’t forget that can be only one WC in Europe. AUS rivals are: USA (CONCACAF); Japan; South Korea; Indonesia and Qatar (all AFC).
December 14th 2009 @ 11:23am
Mushi said | December 14th 2009 @ 11:23am | Report comment
What you’ve just picked up on that being Spiro’s M.O.
December 14th 2009 @ 4:04pm
Darwin hammer said | December 14th 2009 @ 4:04pm | Report comment
No mushi – I’ve known it for a while – I used to like this site – but more and more I’ve noticed the wholesale repetition of subjects …. it’s boring
December 14th 2009 @ 4:35pm
Justin said | December 14th 2009 @ 4:35pm | Report comment
Tend to agree DH – we’ve had about 50 threads on national comps for rugby, countless league v union ratings/crowds/which is better threads. Plenty of AFL v soccer threads and just re-hashing what been typed before.
December 14th 2009 @ 4:49pm
Marshall said | December 14th 2009 @ 4:49pm | Report comment
The hypocrisy of you lot make me laugh. You guys write half the article on this site, you comment constantly on these pieces – which are about te biggest story in sport with huge implications for the future – you’re commenting on this piece, then you say your bored of it and it’s getting repetitive.