World Cup 2018 & 2022 Bidding About to Begin

December 24th, 2008 | by: Daryl |

The bidding war to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups is almost underway, with the official procedure beginning in January 2009.

Big news is that FIFA will be announcing the hosts for both World Cups in December 2010, so we’ll know the 2022 World Cup hosts a full 12 years in advance. It’s a little bit complicated, but basically if a country’s (or countries’) bid for 2018 fails, then they can still also bid for 2022. Provided they’re on a different continent to the 2018 winners. That clear?

The serious interest so far has come from:

Australia
Benelux (Belgium & Netherlands & Luxembourg)
China
England
Mexico
Sportugal (Spain & Portugal)
Qatar
Russia
USA

Without getting too political, I’m not sure China has much chance when you add together their really not very good football team and some questionable activities surrounding the 2008 Olympics. Mexico has already hosted two World Cups and three would be just getting greedy, while Belgium and Netherlands had the Euros as recently as 2000, Portugal as recently as 2004.

USA hosted in ‘94, which is still relatively recent. Also, would that mean all the 15,000 to 20,000 soccer specific stadiums getting overlook in favour of NFL stadiums to host games?

Russia’s interesting given the amount of money in the Russian Premier League, and Qatar would be an experience.

My guess would be England in 2018 and Australia in 2022. Mostly because England will just keep asking until they finally get it and Australia is then the most likely of the non-Euro bidders because of its solid sports infrastructure.

International Football News – World Cup Blog RSS Feed

iwj

I think the USA is a likely place for the 2022 World Cup. Our stadia infrastructure is unmatched in the world. Travel to the USA is convient and for the most part reasonable compared to Australia. But I think the swaying factor will be the incredible revenew stream that a USA WC will be able to generate for FIFA. No other bid can really match what we have in place already, let alone in 13 years. Just me 2 cents.
mele419

I think it would be good for the USA to host a WC soon. footy is slowly getting more popular here and I think it would be a great boost to it’s U.S. fanbase. I mean it’s grown SO much since ‘94. Australia is sure to get one of this bids as well, since they’re not in Europe. I think England’s hopes are pretty much dashed due to the fact that they are in Europe.
Hawk

Why does Portugal get 8 letters of the fusion of Spain and Portugal and Spain only gets 2 letters. SP for Spain and PORTUGAL for Portugal.
Pseudinho

I think Spain and Portugal actually are calling their bid The Iberian Bid. I actually think England will get it in 2018, because I think Chicago will get the 2016 Olympic games and I don’t think FIFA would want to give the U.S. the bid only two years removed from The Olympics. And they’d want it back in Europe because it would be 12 years in between World Cups their. Then I think 2022 and 2026 are basically going to be USA gets one and Australia gets another. In 2026 no European country would be able to bid because of England 2018 and the competition would lessen. even more if Australia were to get 2022. The U.S. would only really have to compete against Mexico. And to be honest, Mexico plays 95% of their home friendlies in the U.S. The U.S. would use the NFL stadiums and the soccer specific stadiums would be used at practice venues. All the NFL stadiums that are being built are with the purpose of hosting World Cup and International Soccer matches. They are all meeting FIFA requirements to pitch width and length. The only problem with the U.S. bid is it’s such a large country, but wise scheduling could reduce the travel very easily so teams wouldn’t have to make that cross country flights.
Pseudinho

Ok this is a mock World Cup bid for the U.S. I have game times at 1, 4, and 9p.m. est. Here’s why, the 1 and 4 game times would be essential for European markets. the 9 time slot would be great for the Americas markets and well as East Asian and Australian markets because games would then actually be played when people are awake in those countries. No game is before noon local time. In my bid no venue is used in consecutive days. No team plays in the same venue more than once in group play. For round of 16 games every team would have to travel, but winners of the group would not have to travel outside it’s group stage region. There are two regions. The east and the west. Here’s what my mock world cup and schedule look like. I have selected 12 stadiums. I think it’s possible we may be able to convince FIFA into letting us use 15 venues as this would reduce travel and give more cities a chance to host games. My 3 alternate stadiums are: Charlotte, North Carolina (Bank of America Stadium) Nashville, Tennessee (LP Field) and Denver, Colorado (Invesco Field) For times I listed all times using eastern standard time.

STADIUMS
E. Rutherford, New Jersey (New Meadowlands Stadium)
Landover, Maryland (FedEx Field)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Lincoln Financial Field)
Foxbourough, Massachusetts (Gillette Stadium)
Indianapolis, Indiana (Lincoln Financial Field)
Miami Gardens, Florida (Dolphins Stadium)

Chicago, Illinois (Soldier Field)
Los Angeles, California (New LA Stadium)
Arlington, Texas (Dallas Cowboys New Stadium)
Houston, Texas (Reliant Stadium)
Glendale, Arizona (U. of Phoenix Stadium)
Seattle, Washington (Qwest Field)

Group A
USA
Iran
Greece
Cameroon

USA v. Iran Friday 4p.m. @ Landover, Maryland
Greece v. Cameroon Friday 9p.m. @ Foxbourough, Massachusetts

USA v. Greece Wednesday 9p.m. @ E. Rutherford, New Jersey
Cameroon v. Iran Thursday 1p.m. @ Indianapolis, Indiana

USA v. Cameroon Tuesday 9p.m. @ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Iran v. Greece Tuesday 9p.m. @ Miami Gardens, Florida

Group B
Germany
Ghana
Colombia
Portugal

Germany v. Ghana Saturday 4p.m. @ Arlington, Texas
Colombia v. Portugal Saturday 9p.m. @ Seattle, Washington

Germany v. Colombia Thursday 4p.m. @ Los Angeles, California
Portugal v. Ghana Thursday 9p.m. @ Houston, Texas

Germany v. Portugal Tuesday 4p.m. @ Chicago, Illinois
Ghana v. Colombia Tuesday 4p.m. @ Glendale, Arizona

Group C
England
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Ivory Coast

England v. Russia Saturday 1p.m. @ E. Rutherford, New Jersey
Saudi Arabia v. Ivory Coast Sunday 1p.m. @ Indianapolis, Indiana

Ivory Coast v. Russia Friday 1p.m. @ Miami Gardens, Florida
England v. Saudi Arabia Friday 4p.m. @ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

England v. Ivory Coast Wednesday 4p.m. @ Landover, Maryland
Russia v. Saudi Arabia Wednesday 4p.m. @ Foxbourough, Massachusetts

Group D
Argentina
Japan
Croatia
Mexico

Croatia v. Mexico Sunday 4p.m. @ Houston, Texas
Argentina v. Japan Sunday 9p.m. @ Los Angeles, California

Argentina v. Croatia Friday 9p.m. @ Chicago, Illinois
Mexico v. Japan Saturday 9p.m. @ Glendale, Arizona

Argentina v. Mexico Wednesday 9p.m. @ Dallas, Texas
Japan v. Croatia Wednesday 9p.m. @ Seattle, Washington

Group E
Italy
Australia
Honduras
Czech Republic

Honduras v. Czech Republic Monday 1p.m. @ Miami Gardens, Florida
Italy v. Australia Monday 4p.m. @ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Italy v. Honduras Saturday 1p.m. @ Landover, Maryland
Czech Republic v. Australia 4p.m. @ Foxbourough, Massachusetts

Italy v. Czech Republic Thursday 4p.m. @ E. Rutherford, New Jersey
Australia v. Honduras Thursday 4p.m. @ Indianapolis, Indiana

Group F
Brazil
Sweden
Nigeria
Korea Republic

Brazil v. Sweden Monday 9p.m. @ Chicago, Illinois
Nigeria v. Korea Republic Tuesday 9p.m. @ Glendale, Arizona

Korea Republic v. Sweden Sunday 9pm. @ Seattle, Washington
Brazil v. Nigeria Sunday 9p.m. @ Arlington, Texas

Brazil v. Korea Republic Thursday 9p.m. @ Los Angeles, California
Sweden v. Nigeria Thursday 9p.m. @ Houston, Texas

Group G
Spain
Costa Rica
Netherlands
Paraguay

Netherlands v. Paraguay Tuesday 1p.m. @ Foxbourough, Massachusetts
Spain v. Costa Rica Tuesday 4p.m. @ Landover, Maryland

Spain v. Netherlands Sunday 1p.m. @ E. Rutherford, New Jersey
Paraguay v. Costa Rica Monday 9p.m. @ Indianapolis, Indiana

Spain v. Paraguay Friday 9p.m. @ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Costa Rica v. Netherlands Friday 9p.m. @ Miami Gardens, Florida

Group H
France
Turkey
Uruguay
Egypt

France v. Turkey Wednesday 1p.m. @ Arlington, Texas
Uruguay v. Egypt Wednesday 4p.m. @ Seattle, Washington

Egypt v. Turkey Monday 1p.m. @ Houston, Texas
France v. Uruguay Monday 4p.m. @ Los Angeles, California

France v. Egypt Friday 4p.m. @ Chicago, Illinois
Turkey v. Uruguay 4p.m. @ Glendale, Arizona

Round of 16

A1 v. B2 Saturday 1p.m. @ Foxbourough, Massachusetts
C1 v. D2 Saturday 4p.m. @ Indianapolis, Indiana
D1 v. C2 Sunday 1p.m @ Houston, Texas
B1 v. A2 Sunday 4p.m. @ Los Angeles, California
C1 v. F2 Monday 4p.m. @ Landover, Maryland
G1 v. H2 Monday 9p.m. @ Miami Gardens, Florida
F1 v. E2 Tuesday 4p.m. @ Glendale, Arizona
H1 v. G2 Tuesday 9p.m. @ Seattle, Washington

Quarterfinals

* If this date fell on July 4th I would switch this game time to 1p.m. Giving European a greater viewership and since it’s a holiday in America it wouldn’t interfere with the normal American workweek. Thus the reason weekday knockout round games are at 4p.m. and 9p.m. instead of 1p.m. and 4p.m. like the weekend.

E1/F2 v. G1/H2 Friday 4p.m. @ E. Rutherford, New Jersey
A1/B2 v. C1/D2 Friday 9p.m. @ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania *
B1/A2 v. D1/C2 Saturday 1p.m. @ Chicago, Illinois
F1/E2 v. H1/G2 Saturday 4p.m. @ Arlington, Texas

Semifinals

Tuesday 9p.m. @ Landover, Maryland
Wednesday 9p.m. @ Los Angeles, California

3rd place game

Saturday 9p.m. @ Chicago, Illinois

World Cup Final

Sunday 2:45p.m. @ E. Rutherford, New Jersey
Sheps

“England will keep asking until they get it”

I think the home of football should get back it’s game – we haven’t had it since 1966, USA had it 28 years after that so can pipe down until 28 years after we have it again.
mele419

No, they don’t want the tournament bakc in Europe. They want to keep it out so it doesn’t become Eurocentric, hence why Sportugal, England, etc are probably not going to get 2018 at the very least, if not both.
Bra

Mele, if only it weren’t about money.

I’ve come to the point where we should just give it to England in 2018: they deserve it and Europe should be getting it after being skipped for two World Cups (note, I’m not normally sympathetic to Europe in these things).

And for God’s sake, don’t give it to Australia. The Americans could host a much better one: much larger attendance and more accesible. Besides, FIFA is very sensitive to the time difference: it’s had to sell those 4am game times to the European market. For better or for worse, an Australian WC would just be a pain…
Golazo

qatar would be awesome
Taak

Benelux would be great, an WC in my backgarden, fantastic!

But serious, all the city’s are close to each other, so you don’t have to cover great distances, like in australia, USA, China and Russia.

the weather in the summer is perfect, the infrastructure in the Netherlands is great (despite that all stadiums must be upgraded), Everbybody in the Benelux loves football (as you could see at EURO 2008), so why not Benelux.

But I think that England, Spain/Portugal, BeneLux and Mexico will have the most chance.

But please NO! Qatar or Russia. As gas and oil are getting cheaper, will lose a lot of money, so they can’t pay the loan for thestadiums, and so come in serious financial trouble.
Barra

pft give it to australia

they hosted a great olympics in 2000

have a bitch that u have to wake up at 4am to watch the games, we do that week in week out and every big tournament

and with australias improvement in football over the past few years its inevitable we will get it

heres hoping
aj

“England will keep asking until they get it”

I lol’d.
Emre

Qatar does not need any loans to finance the investment. It already has 40+ billion US Dollars of liquid assets.
Mario

Mexico is the bets option, really.

i live in mexico and im a great football fan, mexico is the best option, because we have the best infraetructure in all latinamerica, we have the best airport, freeways, and that.

also, all the mexicans love football, and the weather in mexico is very good, and now we have very very good stadiums, and mexico is very cheap, so make all the world cup production is very easy. Mexcio is the best option for the world cup.