During the recent ASEAN Summit, the prime minister of Thailand made an announcement that a group of ten nations would be bidding to host the 2034 World Cup. The FFA need to seize the opportunity to get behind it.
With the World Cup expanding to 48 teams, Australia would be incapable of hosting the event by itself but we could still host some matches as part of a joint ASEAN bid.
FIFA’s requirement for stadiums to have 40,000 seats would make it difficult for a stand-alone Australia bid, with 16 venues being needed. In fact, Australia has just one existing rectangular stadium of this size – in Brisbane – with two more on the way in Sydney. It doesn’t look good compared to what ASEAN or China have to offer.
Of the ten nations that are members of ASEAN, seven already have stadiums with over 40,000 seats and they will have 15 years to build new ones if necessary. Sharing the burden by spreading the costs amongst the host nations makes the bid quite viable.
But with the 48 teams being spread among 16 different groups, there could still be room for Australia to host at least some of the matches.
The opportunity for Australia to take part in a joint ASEAN bid would be a perfect way for the FFA to demonstrate the full potential of football diplomacy. It’s not just about what it could do for football in Australia, but the bridge that it could help provide for Australia to gain entry into the ASEAN group itself.
You only have to look at the metrics to see why it would be in Australia’s interests to join and in ASEAN’s interest to accept us, boosting the economic strength of both entities.
As Paul Keating was keen to emphasise, Australia should seek security within Asia rather than from Asia, and the rise of ASEAN is central to Australia’s future in the Asian century.
The Socceroos could soon be playing diplomats. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Interestingly, there have been recent signs that the attitude from ASEAN is becoming more positive towards Australia joining and that old attitudes are changing. The FFA could also help create bridges when it comes to solving some of their remaining objections by engaging in social activism.
In the run up to the 2018 ASEAN Summit in Sydney last year, Indonesian president Joko Widodo said that Australia joining ASEAN would be a “good idea”, if only in principle.
But what really made Australian diplomats’ jaws drop was when former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad changed his combative view of Australia not belonging in Asia and said that we might one day earn the right or even be “entitled” to join.
Polls also indicate popular support for Australia’s entry, although the country’s British ties remain an objection.
The national flag, the date of Australia Day and the national anthem could all be holding us back. The FFA could throw its support behind campaigns for change on all of these issues as the AFL and NRL both prominently did with the Recognise campaign.
The biggest issues for Australia’s future identity, however, surround Indigenous reconciliation, specifically constitutional recognition, treaty, an Indigenous voice to parliament and a bill of rights.
If the FFA want to make an impact, they could even advocate for Australia to write a new constitution altogether as the French have done a number of times. If we did this, then instead of being a federation of just the original states, we could also include all of Australia’s First Peoples – a group who were left out the first time – to create a new foundation for a new Australia.
By recognising Aboriginal sovereignty in the nation’s constitution, we could then walk together as equals. Now that would be real reconciliation. Our image in Asia would be greatly improved as a result and the FFA could certainly play a big role in making it happen.
All of this is a lot to take in, but the opportunity that the ASEAN World Cup bid offers to Australia is something that FFA could take full advantage of by using football to build bridges with our neighbours in Asia, as well as to promote reconciliation.
Through football diplomacy and social activism, the FFA could significantly raise both its own profile and that of the sport in Australia. It’s something they should pursue.
But with such a big agenda they might need to officially appoint someone as head of football diplomacy, such as Craig Foster, who would be eminently qualified for the role.
With the reach that only the world game can provide, football diplomacy is something the FFA needs to embrace. No other sport can come close and it’s a big advantage that it has over the other codes.
Brian
Guest
Is 9 countries really realistic. Australia, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. 4 cities each is a bit more realistic
lapsedcyclist
Roar Rookie
Australia's $46 million 2022 World Cup bid never had a chance it produced one vote from Germany's "Der Kaiser". A joint bid from Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. Spread the financial burden. 16 cities 16 stadiums 2034 Bid (9 Nations) Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane (Australia) Phnom Penh (Cambodia) Jakarta, Samarinda & Surabay (Indonesia) Kuala Lumpur, Shah Alam & Kuala Terengganu (Malaysia) Yangon (Myanmar) Manila (Philippines) Singapore (Singapore) Bangkok (Thailand) Ho Chi Minh City & Hanoi (Vietnam) Australian, Indonesian & Malaysian teams would have guaranteed spots in tournament because of higher number stadiums and financial exposure. Semi finals and final (selection to be drawn from hat) in game in each of these three countries. The remaining 6 national teams would stage a home and away tournament in November 2033 for a World Cup final berth.
oldpsyco
Guest
This current mob at FFA couldn't transform a carton of beer into a party!
Nick Symonds
Guest
"For starters, the AFL and NRL were engaging with domestic issues when they backed the Recognise campaign. As these two sports barely, if at all, rate in the ASEAN nations, I doubt if their backing the campaign registered in those countries." - No argument there, but it would have been good to see FFA join in as well to keep themselves as part of the conversation when it was a big story in the media, rather than leave it to other codes. But more broadly, if we did somehow achieve reconciliation then that would certainly be registered by people in Asia when they form their views of Australia. So, while it is a domestic issue it does have an impact on our international reputation.
Redondo
Roar Rookie
Well that’s me out - it looks like Indonesian, and google translate thinks it is, but it means nothing to me. I only had a few years of it in an Aussie school and my teacher was only just learning it at uni and about 2 weeks ahead of us in the textbook. I must have another crack at it.
pacman
Roar Rookie
Interesting article Nick, but with your "The national flag, the date of Australia Day and the national anthem could all be holding us back. The FFA could throw its support behind campaigns for change on all of these issues as the AFL and NRL both prominently did with the Recognise campaign.", you are entering into the realm of the law(s) of unintentional consequences. For starters, the AFL and NRL were engaging with domestic issues when they backed the Recognise campaign. As these two sports barely, if at all, rate in the ASEAN nations, I doubt if their backing the campaign registered in those countries. Then we move to your suggestion that FFA support campaigns to change the flag, Australia Day date and the national anthem. This is a very big call in view of the difficulties FFA apparently have in operating the World Game in this country. Put it this way, FFA do not have as many friends as they would wish for in footballdom! FFA would be well advised to concentrate on managing football in this country. It is outside of their remit to engage in social politics!
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
love it. Saya belaja dan bekarja di sana selama dua tahun, tetapi, sekarang sudah lupah Bahasa ini
Redondo
Roar Rookie
Lakukan saja! Saya sangat berkarat. I could never work out how the very simple approach to tense in Bahasa Indonesia could capture the wide variety of tense forms in English. It still baffles me...
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
May have to brush up on my Bahasa, bukan? Bercakap sedikit lagi, ya.
Tyke
Roar Rookie
That is a problem for ASEAN not us, it is their problem if they discriminate a country because of its ties (mostly historical now) to another country. Yes parts of south east Asia were colonised, but that has nothing to do with their modern reality, Britain has nothing to do with them, except bringing money to their countries through tourism. And yeah, South East Asian royal families are some of the worst and most oppressive. So if they want to get into a slanging match about what people don’t like about other countries, I think south east Asia has a lot less to like compared to a country like Australia.
Nick Symonds
Guest
I included a quote in the original article that I submitted from a Cambodian prince who said the opposite and that these things symbolically did matter. He's not the only one to think so. These things may be symbolic, but they are all symbolic of British colonialism, not popular in ASEAN. In fact, he actually said that Australia should become a republic and ditch the British monarch. And yes, he was aware of the irony of a member of a royal family advocating for a republic.
Nick Symonds
Guest
ABC: The constitution is broken and out of date — we should abolish it and start again https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-18/abolish-the-constitution-and-start-again/8816488 - There hasn't been a change in the constitution since 1977, so there's quite a few issues that have been piling up since then. As George Williams suggests, it might be a good idea to have a Constitutional Commission to sort these things out. Dealing with them popping up one by one year after year gets a bit tedious, we should do them all in one go. FFA could start a campaign to establish a Constitutional Commission for this very purpose. Or would they prefer to let the AFL and NRL do social activism and do nothing themselves?
Nick Symonds
Guest
Yep, a merger with New Zealand should be in there too.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Pretty long bow being drawn.
Tyke
Roar Rookie
Was interesting article until you insinuated the flag, anthem, and our national day has anything to do with sport, let alone anything to do with Asia.
Max power
Guest
Over estimating the power of sport and the attractiveness of ASEAN
Gee
Roar Rookie
We could also use the power of soccer to finally merge with New Zealand. We get a good rugby team and a woke PM and they get an air force and gun laws.