Australia’s plan to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup has been cast into the shadows in a towering self-assessment of the United States’ rival bid by America’s top soccer official.
US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati presents a long list of credentials he believes will see the US beat Australia to win the rights to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup – if Europe wins 2018 as widely expected.
While unable to directly criticise a rival bid under FIFA regulations, Gulati’s roll call of US strengths exposed areas of concern for Australia’s bid.
Gulati conceded a European nation is likely to win 2018, making the battle for 2022 between the US and five Asian bids: Australia, Japan, South Korea, Qatar and Indonesia.
“The United States has a $US14 trillion ($A15.46 trillion) GDP with 18 stadiums that have a capacity of five million seats,” Gulati said. “None of our rivals will have that.
“We would host a technically-sound World Cup beyond anyone’s expectations with world-class stadiums and infrastructure.
“We have lots of experience hosting events, a very large population, including a very large immigrant population with virtual guaranteed sell-outs for all 64 games and the opportunity to leave a legacy for the sport that would truly make a very large country integral and central to the sport.”
As Australia’s bid juggles stadium commitments with other sports, state and federal governments clash over the cost of infrastructure upgrades, and the tax-payer funded $46 million bid budget includes significant outlay to foreign consultants, Gulati said the US bid required no public funding.
“We are not asking US government or state authorities to spend billions of dollars to build facilities,” Gulati said.
“Given the world economic climate that is a difficult thing to do. Our funding comes from the private sector or donations. Because of the NFL and a number of universities, we have world class facilities without the need to build new ones.”
Australia has based its pitch on its proximity to Asia and the region’s growing population and economy but Gulati, a highly-credentialled economist, suggested smoke and mirrors were behind that claim.
“The two economies most people talk about when they talk about Asia in terms of growth rates or economies are China and India,” he said.
“We would be happy to have one of those countries to host the World Cup when it is their turn. For sure, I know their turn is not 2018 or 2022.
“If Europe gets 2018 there are only two confederations for 2022. There is Asia and there is CONCACAF. If you go on a rotation basis then we are actually a little bit late. We should be hosting in 2018.”
Gulati revealed the US bid could already claim three of the required 13 votes from FIFA’s executive committee from its own regional representatives, including controversial FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, who has been aggressively courted by Australia.
“We have the full support of (North and Central American Confederation) CONCACAF whether it comes to 2018 or 2022 by unanimous decision.
“Mr Warner, (and FIFA executive committee members) Mr Blazer and Mr Salguero have all assured us they will be supporting our bid.”
The influence of US President Barack Obama should not be ignored, claimed Gulati, also highlighting the diverse credentials of its bid committee.
Diplomat Henry Kissinger, filmmaker Spike Lee, Mexican boxer Oscar De La Hoya, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Robert Iger, president of The Walt Disney Company, are board members of the US bid.
“It is not for show,” Gulati said. “That would be easy. We would have listed 100 people for show. We have an active committee.
“Around the globe there is a reaction to the noticeable change, the perception, in the leadership of the country. That is a positive for us but, until the final whistle blows, you don’t know how things are going to turn out.
“The United States has more tickets to sell, is a good time zone, and there are a large number of commercial partners here.
“The US market has become increasingly important (to FIFA). It is a very affluent market, obviously.
“We think the economics are important but integrating the US into the international soccer community, even beyond where we are, is immeasurably important.”
FIFA’s 24-man executive committee will vote on the 2018 and 2022 hosts in December. Thirteen votes are required to win the rights.
Australia, the US, England, Belgium/Holland, Spain/Portugal, Russia, and Japan are bidding for 2018 or 2022 while Indonesia, Qatar and South Korea are bidding for the finals in 2022 only.
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