A FIFA World Cup in Australia: Could it happen?

Better than could. It's happening...The World Cup is coming to Australia

if australia was willing to host with new zealand then that would offset that problem to an extent, also i think australia will never host a mens world cup on it's own but could with nz

The AFL play so few rounds they can easily reaarange their schedule. It would be embarassing to leave out of the bid one of the best stadiums in the country given it had the roof and thats what they ended up doing so they were basically catering hand and foot to the AFL at the expense of the bid, including having Geelong included in the stadiums The AFL wanted to play during the world cup because they thought that with a couple of hundred thousand visiting sports fans they could attract them to the AFL but they needed Etihad instead of the SCG and Geelong because they needed the combination of a city hosting games and the Melbourne media and populace to brainwash people into going . You hold the world cup at a later time then that would have defeated the whole purpose . If they left Melbourne out of the world cup it would have also defeated the purpose as well. There is no doubt that the AFL would have attempted to get into the opening ceremony like what they did in Commonwealth games. You need to consult with the AFL commision or something before becoming their unofficial spokesman because you don't have any idea what they are trying to do.

Olympics is the second worst event to host, the worst is the Commonwealth games. How many are bidding for the Commonwealth games, it will be us and UK, alternating it. UK on the other hand dont waste billions on the Commonwealth and spend a fraction on their athletes. No one travels for a Commonwealth, even the Olympics , its quite clear they will only travel if its close and convenient, and you really relying on the host country to fill the stands. The reason these events are terrible is needing everything in the one host city and the number of tourists it brings in is low compared to the cost. The world cup is the best, if and only if you are a large enough country with the stadiums. Australia is the only country which has not hosted the world cup to be able to host it without a problem given the recent spend on stadiums.

With a Euro Super League of soccer and the best of the best players tied up in that, maybe the World Cup won't mean terribly much anymore. Like comparing FIBA to NBA in other words.

#Brian The hindsight side of it - there was 'healthy' debate on theRoar back then. There were those who figured you were either with us or against us - and so forgot that some of us would be 'with' an appropriate bid but just could not support that bid and the way it was managed/presented/structured. There was the whole issue of FIFA. Anyone doing any sort of digging into the rules and guidelines could see that it was going to be a really, really tough sell to get it into Australia that time of year without the 'other codes' being fully on song OR without Govt at all levels bulldozing on Frank Lowy's behalf. But then - that same sort of digging clearly indicated that a place like Qatar had no hope in h#ll of winning. So - that's where hindsight has a pretty great advantage.

And that's why - if it could be done properly - all well and good. What we know is the 2009/10 bid (process) was horrid and did this country a disservice.

#Kangas With respect to Melbourne; Recall at the time that the MCG wasn't the sticking point - - the issue was Frank Lowy's desperation to negatively impact the other codes (read here - 'the AFL') to the maximum which was why he was determined to get Docklands (Etihad/Marvel) stadium too. So - yeah - I'd agree with you - just leave Melbourne out of it and all good. Frank Lowy is out of the equation now too.

No I don't dispute the stadia assertion, the stadiums we have build are build for AFL & NRL. What I'm getting at is, getting the biggest sporting event in the world into Australia, one of the biggest followers of sport in the world. Now this may not be your sport, but that is not the issue. I’ve been to world cups in Football, cricket, Rugby, Olympics, Tennis majors in Wimbledon & Melbourne, the Melbourne cup, SCG test matches not boxing day Test, I understand, another level. But they just don’t compare in exposure, atmosphere, tourism, etc. Now yes this is once in a lifetime event for that country/city as opposed to those yearly events, but the plain fact is that you would get more interest around the world of the 1st round of the world cup then any Australian open final or the Melbourne cup.

The Timezone would not be a problem because it was wasn't a problem for Japan and South Korea.

Where do you live? Because a World Cup in Aus without Melbourne would be the most stupid thing since Qatar was awarded the world cup.

Thanks for the clarification

#Jordan You're young - I'll humour you!! What you said "The FIFA World Cup in Australia would benefit the AFL, NRL and Super Rugby because of the new and redeveloped stadiums they would get." This was very similar to the sentiment at the time - there were many who said the AFL and NRL should pretty well agree to all terms (with no guarantees and no certainty - - pretty well a case of "In FIFA we trust") before the Bid book was finalised and submitted. And why would they do this? Well - the main benefit was a lot of new and upgraded stadiums based on Govt funding because of the imperative of the 2022 World Cup (we were out of running for 2018). My point is - why would the AFL in 2009 as it was - sign up to something that would potentially put on hold ground development until nearer to 2022? If they'd done that we might anticipate about 10 years of minimal Govt investment in sports stadia because it would all be bundled into the WC preps. Note too - the AFL knew that they would buy out Docklands (Etihad/Marvel) early (prior to the 2025 date at which the AFL would assume full ownership). So - really, all common sense said at the time and has been proven out - said that the AFL had NOTHING to gain in the way of stadia development and in fact would be hindered. I'd suggest we'd have patched up Subiaco and Football Park in Adelaide being nursed through a decade more past their use by dates. Geelong is a key electoral seat, they'd be right. Carrara and Showgrounds, the former was actually committed to by May 2009 but the latter might have been problematic. So - the point is - be careful about assuming glibly that your selling point actually IS a benefit.

2022 Qatar - to be boycotted in some ways. 2026 USA, Canada, Mexico - 48 teams. In 3 countries? 48 countries? Why? Just FIFA can get more money perhaps? How can Australia host 48 teams? Subsequently, there are finals in 2030, 2034, 2038, 2042, 2046. For these 5 finals, two for Europe and South America, one for Africa, plus one for China (as FIFA wants). So, as someone here points right about 2046. Blatter once mentioned India. However, there are many problems, predominately the terrorist problem if people remember the 2001-Indian-Parliament attack. Giving India a chance because of the population will be as controversial as the Qatar one. https://www.ftbl.com.au/news/sage-expand-the-a-league-to-singapore-malaysia-indonesia-and-hong-kong-489205 How can Australia host 48 teams? There is time zone problem also. How can there be enough TV coverage? If Australia really wants it, think of expanding A-league to Asia. Sage wants it, https://www.ftbl.com.au/news/sage-expand-the-a-league-to-singapore-malaysia-indonesia-and-hong-kong-489205, That would mean 4 countries (Aus, NZ, Singapore and Indonesia) for 48 teams. However, the expansion is slow. Why Sage has no seat in the new FFA board?

Easy to say in hindsight. If only the process was actually conducted properly. Remember that 2010 was in Africa, 2014 was in South America and 2018 was always going to be in Europe. So 2022 was always down to just Asia or North America. Hence there were only 5 bidders USA, Australia, Japan, Korea and Qatar. If you consider that 3 of them hosted the World Cup in recent times of 1994 and 2002 and that Qatar was and is a joke it is not inconcievable for Australia to have won. Don't get me wrong US probably get it if its done properly but Australia should have been without a chance.

Maybe they should put focus on A-League games by making the tickets cheaper for the duration of the world cup.

Sorry, didn't know this as I was writing..

No probs...

A World Cup in Australia without Melbourne involved would be even better .

You can’t play A league games before main clash, team pitch would get ripped up and coaches will not stand for that