Australia is really in with a great chance of hosting the World Cup in 2022, with most experts seeing it as a two way battle between Australia and the USA.
Most Australians are hoping for an FFA victory and the WC to be staged right here in our own great country, but we must be prepared to look at the possibility of not winning it. And if you look closely, the down side isn’t that bad really, especially for FIFA and the future of the game worldwide – which is still one of the sport’s major strengths – its global presence and worldwide appeal.
The 2022 WC will still be on – it just won’t be played here in Australia, so we still get to enjoy it wherever we are. And I for one am planning a big trip to the UK in 2018 if England get the nod – nothing wrong with that and who knows we might even end up in the US in 2022.
If the decisions for hosting FIFA 2018 and 2022 goes with the favoured nations, then FIFA is in for one almighty financial bonanza.
2014 is to be held in Brazil and if 2018 is in England and 2022 in the USA, these are the three countries that would generate the maximum interest in a WC and the greatest amount of revenue.
Football crazy South America and Brazil in particular, will put on one of the greatest World Cup parties ever staged. All games would be very well attended and interest in the tournament will be massive with the Jogo bonito boys set to do well with their brilliant entertaining brand of football.
And England too is a great footballing nation and the home of the game and the Football Association. Also being so close to the rest of Europe, England 2018 will be a great football tournament and a guaranteed financial success story.
And then 2022 in the US. USA 94 still holds the record for the most number of spectators – average and aggregate and is the largest revenue generator of all the WCs staged so far.
With the growth of the game in the last 16 years since then and the improved standing of the US national team and interest in the WC – the USA is set to smash their own records and generate billions of dollars in revenue for FIFA and the US Football associations.
If you had to sit down and pick the three countries to host the biggest and most successful world cups these would be the three that most would choose – Brazil, England and the USA.
If that were the case, FIFA stands to make an enormous financial bonanza with the next three WCs played in countries with huge numbers of football spectators generating an absolute fortune for FIFA.
With the recent vote rigging scandals highlighting the financial and resource restricted inequalities of poorer football federations like Oceania and Africa, it will lead to a lot of that FIFA booty being spent developing the game further and boosting the sport in less fortunate regions like Asia, Oceania and Africa.
FIFA will re-invest their profits and countries like Australia will benefit from more FIFA financial assistance and technical development. It will also lead to greater participation in FIFA technical improvements and sharing of financial and technical resources around the football world.
It will also lead to more favourable decisions about developing football facilities and academies all around the world and will benefit Australia enormously as well, especially youth development programs here and in Asia and the expansion of Asian and world youth tournaments and prize money.
If Australia is not granted the WC of 2022, it will also mean that the FFA and the federal government will not have to hand out hundreds of millions of dollars to its biggest sporting rivals in compensation, nor have to spend billions redeveloping AFL grounds for Andrew Demetriou.
But at the same time the FFA and Australian football will benefit from the enormous injection of funds in the global game and the improved product, interest and revenues it will generate all around the world.
Prize money for FIFA competitions will jump significantly as well.
Not to mention the growing number of junior football initiatives that will be launched by FIFA to attract even more youngsters to the game.
Sure it would be our wish to have the 2022 FIFA WC staged here, but the decision not going to Australia has some silver linings too, especially for FIFA and world football.
mahony
Guest
Even without the World Cup - if anybody doubts the excelent (and long term) agenda the FFA is on - see this lovely article from the Braidwood Times. It is great to see the new professionalism in football reaching to the smallext 'nooks and cranies' across our wide brown land. http://www.braidwoodtimes.com.au/news/local/sport/general/soccer-club-news/2013733.aspx?storypage=0 A bunch of World Cup money would sure help - but football is on its way regardless.
tommy_doleman
Roar Pro
I can't see why FIFA wouldn't want to have the world cup in Australia. I just don't see any reasons. Other than the Stadiums maybe, but 11 years to build stadiums for 2022 won't matter a bob really. Also - Nice Legs Jimbo, presume they aren't yours though!
True Tah
Guest
MVDave I watched the game on tv there...however this game generally always draws massives crowds.
jimbo
Roar Guru
Not at all, A-League attendances are on the rise in the last couple of months and with the business end of the season to come will be as good as last season's aggregate. Newcastle Jets attendances are up 65% and their last home game was a sell out a week in advance.
beaver fever
Guest
I think your getting the AFL and HAL confused, A league attendances and ratings are down 23% across the board.
mahony
Guest
With that track record I hope he stays in the job for years to come........
mahony
Guest
It is only the greatest sporting event in the world because it is by far the biggest and most popular (i.e. everyone else disagrees with you) by any measure you care to use. Apart from this definition I guess you could make an argument for some other sporting event. Ad to think this even is only the finals series - the World Cup is itself a much bigger event in totality - but I guess that is neither here nor there.........
mahony
Guest
Google the GOAL Program and the proposed Home of Football Project for Australia.
jimbo
Roar Guru
No, not really. Your "best sports administrator by a mile" has spent $640 million "expanding AFL into NSW and Qld". The result? - 19.5% drop in TV ratings this year and 15% drop in attendances, which are lower now in Sydney than what they were in 1998. I would be asking some serious questions about his abilities as a CEO - instead of praising him and parroting what the AFL press tell you to say about him.
the guru
Guest
JamesP
Guest
It really burns you that he is so successfull doesn't it? Best sports administrator in the country by a mile
Australian Football
Roar Guru
TC----get your facts right fella, all heard the announcement that the FFA were going to bid for the Football world cup at the same time. It was Rugby's John O'Neil who jumped on board first and welcomed the announcement, then Gallop, whilst Demetriou was silent then the hysteria came and the noncommittal until 2 days left before the bid Book had to be submitted. Geezes you Aussie Rules folk exaggerate.. Next you will take all the credit for winning it for Frank Lowy and Australia..
Midfielder
Guest
Jimbo Feel free to add anything you find to the thread ... its kinda a diary of media articles as they come out with comments and sometimes heaps of comments from folk with their views... I think we have a real chance this year ... in previous Hal's this side would have swept all before them .. but the improvement in the league this year... it's been huge... think that Brisbane & the Inbreds are the front runners ... can hardly wait to get Preze back and maybe play him up front as Amini form makes him difficult to bench ...
jimbo
Roar Guru
http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/world-cup-bid/experts-tip-australia-to-leap-ahead-of-untied-states-qatar-and-win-the-right-to-host-the-2022-world-cup/story-fn3g9e47-1225961832231
jimbo
Roar Guru
Thanks Midfielder. Must confess Mariners are my second A-League team and I get to Bluetongue whenever I can. I sure hope they finally win the Golden Toilet Seat - they are the best club not to have won it. We want to keep the toilet seat in NSW.
Midfielder
Guest
Support from the top .Federal Minister for Sport Mark Arbib declares it is his dream for Australia to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup Note Vid link will only be up for a while.. http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/video/356987/Arbib-on-Aussie-WC-bid
jimbo
Roar Guru
You Followers of the Behind are just incredible.
Midfielder
Guest
Jimbo Just placed your article on the Mariners Fans forum WC thread ... you deserve to be in this company.... check it out if you like... http://ccmfans.net/board/index.php?/forum/9-australian-football/ I left you on our Australian Board ... just click on the top thread you are on page 43... the thread attempts to trace the bid from start to finish... AF you and Norm may enjoy it also...
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
jimbo Keep the faith, buddy. You (I and all the True Believers) have dreamed about this for so long and put up with such anger and hatred directed at our Game in Australia ... this will be the sweetest victory of them all. This may not be relevant, but every little bit of negative news about our rivals is welcomed by me: From today's Australian newspaper: "Lawsuit jeopardises US Cup bid" http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/lawsuit-jeopardises-us-cup-bid/story-fn63e0vj-1225961721949 So, we have: Qatar: Blatter doesn't want it there, it will be a health risk to fans, officials and players and you can travel aound the whole country in 1-2 days! USA: the whole world still has negative feelings towards the counry after the reign of Bush, Cheney & Rumsfeld Sth Korea: seems to be in the news for all the wrong reasons at the moment. Japan: well, if Sth Korea is "under fire" then, well, ... probably best to stay away from Japan! Australia: flying nicely under the radar. Safe, secure and with an economy that is the envy of the world.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
TCUnbeliever 1. What is the cost of Foundation memebership of the Suns? 2. What benefits are attached to such memebership? Last season, the Suns membership (adult) cost $45 ... heck, a carton of Peroni is a bigger financial commitment ... and, that's every fortnight - not once a year! Is it true that AFL clubs are moving towards "1-game membership" and will market them as "entry tickets"?