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Analysis of 2022 bidders:
Australia
Fifa World Ranking:
20
Main Stadium:
Melbourne Cricket
ground, 100,108 (Melbourne - pictured
below).
Last World Cup hosted:
n/a
Chance of winning:
Sporting pedigree
and quality venues give high possibility of
winning
Australia’s government has pledged
significant funding and already has a
strong track record organising big sporting
events, such as the 2000 Olympics, the
2003 Rugby World Cup and the 2006
Commonwealth Games.
The country has never held a football
World Cup before which will work in its
favour. Stadium-wise, Australia has some
huge facilities, although most are based
around the oval field used for Aussie
Rules football or Cricket.
The giant Melbourne Cricket Ground
would potentially stage the final as it can
hold over 100,000 spectators. The ANZ
Stadium in Sydney was the venue for the
Olympic track and field events in 2000 and
holds 83,500, so it would be in contention
for the opening game and final.
Beckenbauer said thatAustralia’s chances
to host the World Cup in 2022 could be
strong if 2018 went to Europe. “I think
they have a good chance because the
World Cup has never been to Australia.
Australia’s a beautiful country, a beautiful
continent.”
Enough said!
Japan
Fifa World Ranking:
32
Main Stadium:
International Stadium,
72,000 (Yokohama)
Last World Cup hosted:
2002
Chance of Winning:
Low as too soon
after 2002 co-hosting.
The fact that Japan co-hosted the World
Cup seven years ago with South Korea
makes it unlikely that the competition will
return there so soon.
The country also bid for the 2016
Olympics, but lost out to Rio De Janeiro.
The plans to build a new 120,000 capacity
stadium as well as renovate the National
Stadium in the capital, Tokyo, were based
on a successful Olympic bid.
At present, Japan’s biggest venue, the
International Stadium in Yokohama, falls
8,000 seats short of Fifa’s requirement of
80,000 for the final.
Japanese Football Association president
Motoaki Inukai had been quoted as saying:
“We will definitely need the success of the
2016 Tokyo Olympics bid. If they don’t win
it, it will be physically impossible for us to
host the World Cup.”
That seems to rule out Japan as a
contender
So the battle is between either
England or Russia for the right
to hold the 2018 tournament and
Australia or USA to stage 2022. We
will find out on 2 December!
South Korea
Fifa World Ranking:
44
MainStadium:
Seoul WorldCup Stadium,
64,677, (Seoul)
Last World Cup hosted:
2002
Chance of winning:
Low as too soon
after co-hosting the event in 2002.
As with Japan, South Korea’s co-hosting
of the World Cup with Japan in 2002
means that it will be an uphill battle to
convince Fifa that they should host it
again so soon. However the staging of
the 2002 tournament for which they built
10 new stadiums all of which can hold
more than 40,000 people, does mean that
they have the majority of the facilities they
would need.
The Seoul World Cup Stadium holds
65,000 while the Daegu World Cup
Stadium, the country’s biggest, can
accommodate 68,000. Despite the fact
neither hold the required 80,000, there
should be little problem building another
stadium or expanding an existing ground.
It could have been a real contender but for
the fact that the Australian bid is probably
a stronger bid for Asia Pacific.
Qatar
Fifa World Ranking:
98
Main Stadium:
Qatar Khalifa International
Stadium, 50,000 (Doha)
Last World Cup hosted:
n/a
Chances of winning:
Summer heat and
small stadia mean next to no chance
Qatar is looking to become the first Arab
country to host the World Cup finals
after unsuccessful attempts in the past
from Egypt, Morocco and a joint bid from
Tunisia and Libya.
The country failed in its attempt to host the
2016 Olympics but successfully hosted
the 2006 Asian Games. It will also host
football’s Asian Cup in 2011
The Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium is the
home ground of club side Al-Saad and,
despite the fact it only has a capacity of
18,000, it is where the national team play
because of the intimidating atmosphere
that it can generate.
The Qatar Khalifa International Stadium
in Doha is an impressive venue but still
only holds 50,000, while there are also
two 25,000-capacity grounds but far more
would need to be built if the country was
to hold the World Cup.
This might make Fifa less inclined to
go for Qatar especially considering the
country only has a population of just over
1.3m people.
But the idea of playing the tournament in
the June desert heat, when temperatures
regularly top 40C, will probably provide
an insurmountable obstacle.
touchline
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