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Blatter backs Australia Cup bid
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Blatter says Australia's record of staging big events will help them
Fifa president Sepp Blatter has announced that the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will be awarded at the same time.
Speaking at the congress of football's governing body in Sydney, Blatter also revealed that Australia are in the running to host the 2018 tournament.
"You can say we've been to Asia for the World Cup but Australia is something very special because it is quite a continent in itself," he said.
"I think it would be a wonderful achievement if this can happen."
Australia are in a group of nations bidding for the 2018 tournament along with England, Russia and the United States.
But any simultaneous announcement means that if Australia miss out on 2018, they will have an increased chance of becoming hosts four years later.
Of course he is going to say these kind of things, as the congress is being held in Sydney. It is only being diplomatic.
That the 2018 and 2022 tournaments are being decided at the same time, will IMHO be to our advantage, as the Europeans will get one of them, and thus the other date will be up for grabs.
If we get up, that will change the dynamic of funding from all parts of Government, and the hierarchy of the Football codes will be changed forever.
Professor Knowall
25 May 2008, 23:39
Blatter backs Australia Cup bid
... Speaking at the congress of football's governing body in Sydney, Blatter also revealed that Australia are in the running to host the 2018 tournament..."
Thats not really saying anything, really. Officially, Freo are still in the running to play in the 2008 AFL GF.
littleduck
26 May 2008, 15:03
We are more than capable of hosting the "best ever" FIFA World Cup. I support the bid. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity.
The legacy for football in Australia would be massive.
The legacy for Sydney may well be a suitably-sized Football Stadium for people to experience the ultimate atmosphere at big events of most football codes for years ahead. All official FIFA venues would have to be upgraded and the legacy for NRL, A-League and S14/ARU would therefore be massive.
i went to the world cup in germany, and i reckon it would be ____ing AWESOME to get it here. 18 is probably a bit early (18 is almost sure to be in europe) but 22 would be brilliant. quite seriously, if we get it i will be learning spanish and brushing up on my french just to help people out in perth (you have no idea how useful a friendly local that speaks you language is until you have been stuck after midnight on the streets of some forgeign city)
stadium-wise, considering the number of games and the quality of stadia i would think that there would be alot of games played at round stadia.
for example you would think that the MCG being australians only 100000 seat stadium would mean that games would HAVE to be played there
Blatter will say anything to please his hosts.
He promised South Africa the 2006 World Cup, and they ended up with the 2010.
So if he supports Australia's bid for the 2018 World Cup, we'll probably end up getting it in 2022.
At this moment Frank Lowy, Ben Buckley and the FFA are sweet talking the FIFA Congress into giving Australia the FIFA World Club Championships for 2009 and 2010.
Ricardo
26 May 2008, 20:01
I think we'll get the 2022 WC, as time goes on it seems less and less likely we'll even have a remote chance of hosting the 2018 WC.
Gee a FIFA WC would be massive here, much more interesting then the Olympics (probably not as big as Sydney 2000 was though).
:D
Its exciting to think Australia could host the WC and the funding that would occur to up-grade and build new stadiums, good times ahead.
Dasher39
26 May 2008, 20:14
Gee a FIFA WC would be massive here, much more interesting then the Olympics (probably not as big as Sydney 2000 was though).I agree! It would be a shitload bigger.
Sydney 2000 was pretty much confined to one city, this is nation wide with millions upon millions of international visitors flocking to these shores.
stadium-wise, considering the number of games and the quality of stadia i would think that there would be alot of games played at round stadia.I don't think so.
As it stands only one city can have two stadiums, and that would be Sydney, but never rule out FIFA altering that and perhaps allowing two cities to have two stadiums. Here are a list of stadiums that I think would be well in contention:
Sydney Football Stadium - Sydney
ANZ Stadium - Sydney
MCG - Melbourne
Swan Street Stadium (upgraded to 50k) - Melbourne
Suncorp Stadium - Brisbane
Skilled Park (upgraded to 40k) - Gold Coast
Dairy Farmers Stadium (upgraded to 40k) - Townsville
EnergyAustralia Stadium (upgraded to 45k) - Newcastle
NEW Adelaide Stadium - Adelaide
Perth Stadium - Perth
That is 10 stadiums, with only one being a real oval stadium (MCG). Both the new Perth Stadium and ANZ Stadium have retractable seating to make them rectangular and every other stadium is rectangular in shape.
Like most, I don't think we'll get 2018 but I am feeling increasingly confident of 2022, especially with the news both with be announced at the same time.
Sebastian Balboa
26 May 2008, 20:25
Blatter will say whatever he thinks his hosts want him to say.
I'm neither here nor there for the Soccer World Cup, but I do enjoy reading this:
http://www.transparencyinsport.org/
stephen_bayne
26 May 2008, 20:32
FIFA were not backwards in coming forwards in denying Oceania it's own WC spot placing the blame squarely on Australia because we didn't play enough friendlies and didn't take the Confederations cup seriously enough in thier eyes. For that I take this endorsement of us hosting the World Cup as a good sign as it should be.
ArsenalOfNewcastle
26 May 2008, 20:38
We will get it!!
That is 10 stadiums, with only one being a real oval stadium (MCG). Both the new Perth Stadium and ANZ Stadium have retractable seating to make them rectangular and every other stadium is rectangular in shape.
Perth stadium doesn't exist or the one in Adelaide either .
Both the Perth and Adelaide stadiums depend on AFL compliance
which all now depends on...................................
........................
........... the AFL getting Homebush .
Now do you get it !
:;)
Perth stadium doesn't exist or the one in Adelaide either
Yes but they will by 2018.
Dasher39
27 May 2008, 10:53
Yes but they will by 2018.Exactly.
The WA Govt has already committed to building it, will be completed by 2016 if you believe them.
Adelaide would have to build a new stadium, and it would be rectangular.
Dasher39
30 May 2008, 14:02
Australia 'definitely' will host Cup (http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23782636-5014539,00.html)
From staff reporters
May 30, 2008
AUSTRALIA will "definitely" stage the World Cup finals in the future but the country is unlikely to host the tournament before 2022, Sepp Blatter said on the opening night of the FIFA Congress in Sydney.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy have advocated Australia as a strong candidate to host the 2018 finals, but Blatter said Europe was more likely to host that tournament because the previous two finals will have been staged in the southern hemisphere.
The 2010 finals are scheduled to be played in South Africa while Brazil has won the right to stage the 2014 tournament.
"Definitely (the World Cup finals) will be (staged in Australia)," Blatter said at the congress.
"But after the World Cup having been in South Africa and then in South America … 2018 will be very difficult after having been in the southern hemisphere.
"And to be far away, I think a (European) continental bid will be better.
"But in 2022 it is open."Like most people thought, 2018 is more of a test bid for a serious attempt at 2022 which we are a good shot of getting.
Both 2018 and 2022 will be announced at the same time, in March 2011.
BacharHouli_43
30 May 2008, 17:38
that rat Blatter, soon after advocating our 2018 bid, he rejects our chances of hosting it, just like he did with our chances to get automatic qualification.
Realistically, we were only really a chance for 2022. The USA and maybe Mexico are our rivals for 2022.
McCrann
30 May 2008, 17:45
that rat Blatter, soon after advocating our 2018 bid, he rejects our chances of hosting it, just like he did with our chances to get automatic qualification.
Realistically, we were only really a chance for 2022. The USA and maybe Mexico are our rivals for 2022.
If 2018 is going to Europe - as Blatter seems to be indicating - the World Cup that we've been angling for, then what's to stop China putting up its hand for 2022?
I've heard there are a few people in China these days, its possible that may appeal to FIFA. Just possible you know.