It is no secret that a fair majority of Australian football fans are quietly confident that Australia will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, as details and bid books are released, Qatar 2022 has emerged as the Dark Horse bid.
Many rumours have been dug out of the ground on this bid. However, most have not been denied, nor proven. Could this be the face of the future?
Qatar 2022.
What has Qatar got over Australia? Which will be the better host of the world’s largest sporting event? Will Qatar progress on politics? The latter question is surely plausible with the heads of the sport seemingly easily excited by each bid, an strong example being the head of the AFC, Mohammed Bin Hammam, who has stated that he is throwing his support behind the Qatari bid.
Recently FIFA President Sepp Blatter has also thrown his support behind the Arabic nation’s bid.
What has Australia got over Qatar? Australia pips Qatar in the fields of infrastructure and the standard of domestic football. However, Qatar brings one strong card to the table.
National support.
Now I am not relating this statement to the nation’s government, as obviously all bid teams have Government support, but the Qatar bid, as do many, have no stiff opposition from other codes.
Football is the predominant football code in Qatar.
Still, Qatar’s bid has been plagued at length by several problems – the most controversial being Israel. The lengthy debate has taken many different viewpoints, but most noticeable is FIFA’s lack of opinion.
As it currently stands, the government heads of the Muslim state will allow Israel to take part in the tournament if it held in their country, despite not recognising them as a country. Other issues stated by the FIFA inspection board are, of course, alcohol and the weather.
On the issue of alcohol, Hassan Abdulla al Thawadi (Chief Executive of the Qatar World Cup Bid Team) has stated that the Muslim state is prepared to allow the sale of alcohol during the tournament, and that specialised fan areas will be created to sell alcohol.
So now the main issue for the bid team is the weather.
The FIFA World Cup is held in summer, a time where the temperature in Qatar reaches almost 40 degrees celsius. But instead of being a problem, this becomes Qatar’s number one selling point. And here’s why.
Qatar’s riches and technological advancement means that they are planning on presenting their drawcard: temperature control within the grounds.
And there is one last idea for Qatar 2022.
First mentioned in an ESPN Online article at the end of last year was that an all-indoor World Cup could be on the cards if Qatar were to win the rights to host the FIFA World Cup 2022. The last time a FIFA World Cup match was held indoors was USA 1994, who are also running to host the 2022 competition.
Whoever does eventually host the 2022 tournament, be it Australia, Qatar, USA, or any of the other bids, it is sure to be a revolutionary tournament.
Balu@codesharemedia
Guest
In my opinion Qatar deserves hosting 2022 world cup, as Qatar is ready to do with all the stadiums it needs for Football world cup. Qatar is an emerging economy with excellent pace and also it has proven its growth in infrastructure via various major sports events held here recently. Qatar is the only Arab nation which encourages sports at high pace with full support from its corporates and people considering it for the nations development in future also to encourage the benefits of sports to a nation.. Meanwhile, Qatar held 2006 Asian Games successfully and I hope She will be more than ready to host 2022 world cup with complete support from Qataris, Corporates and her neighboring states. South Africa held FIFA last time as an African nation then why cant Qatar host FIFA 2022 as an Arab nation??Though the Authorities said ok to sell Alcohol during tournament....As for as the weather is concern all the major games say for example tennis...US open, French open, Aus open being conducted in different nations with different weather conditions.It would would be new,auspicious and unforgettable experience for FIFA as well as football spectators not only by enjoying the game but also knowing Qatar deeply on its culture, tradition and hospitality.
Qatar2022
Guest
I was at the Jassim Bin Mohammed Stadium where they tested the new cooled stadium when FIFA were there. It showed on the big screens it was 37 degrees outside and 19 degrees inside the stadium. There was no roof too it was amazing how they done it! So teams training in the heat etc wont be a problem. However, the problem with Qatar's bid is how this summer a few days it got as high as 52 degrees Celsius, now I dont think alot of tourist will want to walk around in that temperature! Qatar's stadiums for the WC do look amazing.
The Special One
Guest
Spiro here is an interesting article about the white elephants that have been left behind in sth africa http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=33639
Michael Turner
Roar Pro
Mate, wow. completely uncalled for. Sleeping with a bid member? What are you 14? And if anything was to be believed, what had South Africa done for soccer, nor USA in 1994. USA was chose for the sole purpose of MONEY and PR by FIFA. They admitted that. This is more or less the same.
michael
Guest
BTW Bin hammam also never backed Australia, he took a photo with our comeplay scarf on wow, hopefully he backs Australia inside but no way was he ever going to stray away from Qatar and come out in public backing our bid. Going against your country of birth is not something that's seen in a positive light anywhere on the planet. Bin Hammam is a good AFC president and I know when the time comes he will do the right thing but for now he must back Qatar 110%.
michael
Guest
As I have stated previous what an embarassing article from someone who has no idea about the world game and claims to sleep with one of the qatar bid members. What a joke. South Africa had qualified for a world cup previously with their own players. Qatar couldn't even do it with more than half the squad filled with africans and people from other nations who were merely bought for their team. Plus Qatar is a two tier nation, the so called Qataris' get everything and people who go to work there get treated like absolute rubbish. There is a website qatarsucks.com and it's there for a reason, the nations itself is a disgrace, has done nothing for football and not in a million years would it deserve a football world cup. Qatar would also be a monumental failure in terms of sponsors and true fans of the game. I know not even the vast majority of the middle east support this bid because they see Qatar as been the ultimate ass kisser to the US housing their major base outside of the US and that is where all the commands to bomb the middle east come from. As I said Qatar is a disgrace not only to the arab people but to the whole of humanity and no way in heck do they ever ever EVER deserve a world cup. Learn your facts pal, because clearly you don't know much at all.
Rubbish
Guest
Too much oil money with not enough reasonable projects to invest in.
jimbo
Roar Guru
The Australian bid includes demountable stadiums too. The London Olympics is using demountable stadiums and the trend is growing. http://www.london2012.com/news/2007/11/new-era-of-stadium-design-unveiled.php We have England and their allies votes after we withdrew from 2018 and promised to vote for them. We have Germany and their allies votes after we gave Holger Osieck a job. 2022 should be ours now and after we win the 2022 WC bid the FFA are going to re-nig on the promises it made to the AFL.
Mister Football
Guest
I know there is a growing view that Qatar is in with a real chance - but I still have trouble buying it. I just can't see them as a challenger to either Australia or the US (or even Sth Korea and Japan for that matter). But this is what I can see - due to the political wheeling and dealing they are doing, there is a very strong chance of Australia being knocked out in the early rounds. I'd say Qatar has at least six votes in the bag - and that's a lot in the early rounds - Australia will only catch them once South Korea and Japan get knocked out - if Australia lasts that long.
Chris K
Guest
I can't see this happening for obvious reasons in regards to stadiums and blah blah. But there is also the isssue in regards to the fact that Qatar is not the greatest place to visit. And also as far as I know, Qatar don't recognize Israel as a country, Israel is a very real chance of getting into the world cup in the forseeable future, this could cause problems
Michael Turner
Roar Pro
Just Please FIFA. Now personally, I will state again, I am totally in support of the Australia Bid, It became apparent that there was not much info on the Qatar bid, so a comparison was needed
Realfootball
Guest
Now that is very smart politics.
Michael Turner
Roar Pro
It is directly out of their bid book. But it appealed to FIFA. And thats what seems to matter
Spiro Zavos
Expert
Michael, you ask what Qatar is going to do with all the stadiums it needs for a Football World Cup, but far too many for a population of a million or so. The idea, apparently, is to donate the stadiums to African countries after the World Cup. The stadiums will somehow be demountables that can be taken down and re-assembled somewhere else. I don't know how many votes Africa has in deciding the host nation but the prospect of getting brand new stadiums, only slightly used, must appeal to most of the nations on that continent. That is, except South Africa, a nation that must be wondering what to do with its white elephant stadiums. Perhaps they could export them, too.
apaway
Guest
Michael, in an earlier post you compared Qatar hosting the WC as similar to South Africa being awarded the 2010 tournament as a way of FIFA expanding the game. But where in Qatar would it expand to? South Africa is a large country with a big population and a huge particiaption rate. Qatar is smaller than most cities in Australia. I just don't see how a country of that size could ever host the World Cup. I realise that they have the economic clout to do so but why on earth would Qatar need 12 indoor, 40-75000 capacity stadiums after the WC finishes? BTW, Qatar did cause a stir in international football right here in Australia, by making the final of the 1981 World Youth Cup, eventually getting beaten by West Germany 4-0 in the final at a drenched SCG, after beating England 2-1 in the semi finals.
Michael Turner
Roar Pro
FIFA wouldnt be giving the hosting rights to Qatar for the standard of football, it would be for the press of being in the Middle East, and the revolutionary ideas presented. It will be completely money driven, and remember the only reason 1994 was help in the USA was so that FIFA could reap the huge opportunities in the USA
Michael Turner
Roar Pro
Bin Hammamm had previously pledged his loyalty to the Australian World Cup bid at the beginning of last year. The idea of not being a major football nation is not of a concern to FIFA, because they are trying to increase football's popularity and reach around the globe. Hence the South Africa world cup. As a result, FIFA have a ten point plan on getting hosting rights to the lesser countries. Companies in Qatar have contributed on many an occasion to the funding of the FIFA World Cup, esp Japan Korea 2002, and South Africa, building the Solar Panels that powered several fan sites and stadiums, the same technology they will bring to the table if they are to host the competition. Qatar's bid team have pledged the upper tiers of the stadia's to other developing countries to help build their infrastructure in football, and have been highly commended by FIFA, and are current at evens with Australia on an independant table of the hosts. Despite all points, a paragraph was ommitted from this upon submission, which entailed my support for the 2022 competition, and the original title was Dark Horse: Qatar 2022. Please get your facts correct before trying to contradict these presented.
Michael Turner
Roar Pro
that's because i wrote most of the Wikipedia article pertaining to the Qatar World Cup Bid. I am in contact with one of the bid members.
dasilva
Guest
I think another things that is missed is that FIFA believes we need about 40 odd training pitches. Are teams supposed to train in 40 degree heat or are they are going to build 40 indoor training facilities
Tristan Rayner
Editor
Completely agreed Victer. You couldn't blame FIFA for trying to crack the US again. South Africa was more for promoting the game in Africa, showing that the continent isn't some war ravaged thing like people think and inspiring a nation trying to move past many issues.