So with the recent news that Lord Sebastian Coe has been appointed as a non-executive board member of England's 2018 World Cup bid team, it's worth a look at seeing who our competitors are as far as hosting is concerned. There are plenty of them, the list, comprising a few surprises, being, Mexico, United States, Netherlands and Belgium, Spain and Portugal, Russia, Qatar, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Australia. Well let's start with the two that surely have got no chance of being the hosts in nine years time, Qatar and then Indonesia. Firstly Qatar, no I don't fancy playing in temperatures of over 100 fahrenheit in a desert summer either. Although the building in Doha of the world's first ever underground stadiums at the moment would take the heat out of the equation for that venue. It would though be too small at 11,000 seats, as would the hosting infrastructure of the rest of the tiny Arab state as well to be honest. Indonesia certainly has a big enough population to warrant holding the World Cup but it still needs to do a lot of work to take care of itself, never mind the planning that would be needed for such a big event. Add to that a human rights record that isn't the best, although that didn't stop the Olympic Games going to China, and Indonesia looks like another non-starter. Down in the same area of the world Australia has already pledged the equivalent of £22 million into a massive lobbying campaign over the next two years. With a track record of hosting major events and more than enough big stadiums to have the matches in, the Socceroos could be a dark horse as hosts, especially with Australian Football Federation chairman Frank Lowy being a friend of controversial FIFA vice-president Jack Warner. Rather you than me though for getting up at 6am to watch Peru v Saudi Arabia, and those television time differences as far as the lucrative European rights markets are concerned could prove to be the killer for the Aussies. That not even taking into account the fact that 2010 (South Africa) and 2014 (Brazil) are already being held in the Southern Hemisphere. Both Japan and South Korea, Asian Football Federation members along with Australia, are now bidding separately to hold the tournament in 2018 having co-hosted it in 2002 but can surely forget about having any chance so early after last time. The South Koreans though, like the Qataris, have also put in for the 2022 FIFA World Cup should they fail as far as 2018 is concerned. Mexico could see themselves in with a chance after holding two excellent tournaments in 1970 and 1986, the latter of those supposed to have been in Colombia until they pulled out due to financial concerns. It's another hot place in the summer though and despite them having enough stadium-wise you have to think that there are too many big hitters elsewhere for the 2018 final to be held in the Azteca Stadium. Bordering Mexico is the United States and I wouldn't fancy them hosting again from a personal perspective, the 1994 tournament being a pretty poor one aside from England not qualifying. Obvious plus points for the Yanks are the stadiums, infrastructure and the track record of holding big sports events. "Soccer" in the States doesn't seem to have pushed on from 1994 though so does the country really deserve to host twice in seven tournaments? Into Europe and Russia have exploded financially onto the world football stage in the last few years and so you'd have to think that they will chuck a good amount of money into a hosting bid as well. Roman Abramovich potentially having a boot in two camps of rivals England and Russia as a club owner in England and a potential bid financer in his home nation. Big travelling distances would seemingly be the only real problem for the Russians and they are surely very lively contenders to host. Onto the co-host bids of the Netherlands and Belgium, and then Spain and Portugal, and both of those look dead in the water before we start, with FIFA president Sepp Blatter commenting : "As long as we have single-country bids which provide all the necessary guarantees, we will reject co-hosting bids." So with England and Russia alone having good chances of taking the tournament you can't see any hope at all for the two co-host bids. The 24-man FIFA executive committee will make its decision in December 2010 on not just the hosts of the 2018 tournament but also those of 2022, so it looks like being a long 22 months of lobbying ahead. Lord Coe for England hopefully bringing with him the organisational qualities that have brought the Olympic Games to London in 2012. |