I don't remember this, but I do know of a few major youth tournaments that did this, so it's plausible.

Anyone but Qatar. Having a major sporting competition in the Middle East is a lolbad idea right now, and I don't really see it ever being a good idea.

This isn't true at all. Apparantly the stadiums will be air conditioned to temperatures in the 20's. The country will not be dry for the WC either. I heard yesterday Qatar were likely going to get it which disappointed me as I thought Australia had the best case. Now it seems USA might get it.

England deserve the 2018, hasn't been there since 66, by far the best infrastructure, stadiums, everything basically. No reason other than politics for it not to go to England especially after they just lost out on 2006.

All the criticism of the BBC is ridiculous. Why should the fact an English program exposes the absurd amount of corruption in FIFA yet again harm the bid and even if it did why should they not show it? They are journalists and imo completely obligated to show the programme. Not showing it incase it upsets the powers that be is what would happen in dictatorships.

Why would it never be a good idea? You sound like a racist. Qatar is like Dubai or Kuwait. Hosting a sporting event there is not an issue.

LOL dude the country is the size of Connecticut, alcohol would only be served in small zones, literally none of their stadiums are actually ready, the government doesn't respect many basic human rights, the airport is small as hell... There are a ton of problems with hosting a major event, and there's a reason a country like Qatar has never hosted something so big.

the more i think about it the more disgusted i am going to feel with this world if england dont get it. Our only rivals are the russians and portugal/spain, and we probably wont get it, its just another case of anti english behavoir rather than common sense ,because anyone with a brain knows that this country can g'tee a fantastic world cup whereas the other bids need a lot to go in their favour just to provide a really good world cup.

politics ruined eurovision, then it ruined the world cup, where does it end?

I don't think the hosting will change the quality of the world cup for any of the major european countries or the US. Belgium, Netherlands, Spain and Portugal can put on the show just as well as England.

Don't know too much about Russia, but I assume that they can pull it off easily as well.

they said that about abu dhabi until it hosted a formula 1 race there in a short space of time... and its not popular in america, but the rest of the world loves it. I have no doubts they can hold a good solid world cup there, but its not "right" to buy something like that imo.

First of all I was not talking about their specific bid. I already stated I thought that Australia had the most merit so would be disappointed if Qatar got it. I was responding to the previous poster who was basically saying ' lol arabs' wrt their bid.

As to your individual points, whilst I think logistically it is a tough sell to host something as big as the WC there your point about the government not respecting human rights what the one I had the biggest problem with since Qatar has one of the best recent records wrt human rights of any country in the whole region. I mean Beijing hosted the Olympics! Having something like the World Cup there would only improve things.

Alcohol is not illegal there. It is only sold in small zones because the country is mostly islamic, for something like the WC you think they pass up the money? No way there is a shortage of booze at that WC.

Wait, wait.... are we really comparing an event at one site with a capacity of 50k to a WC? Then applying that to another country?

I have no doubt that Qatar couldn't pull off some sort of World Cup if South Africa did, but I'd still expect some sort of problems like the empty stadiums and many other problems.

Alcohol is legal in Qatar like it's legal in a dry county in Tennessee.

i wouldn't be TOO heartbroken if the spanish/portugese get it, but for the russians to get it, when their entire football world is based on crookedness and racism, it just turns it into a farce.

England >>>>> portugal/spain>>>>>>>>>football in a field>>>>>>>abolishment of the game>>>>>>>>>>>world suicide>>>>>>>>>>>scotland>>>>>russia getting the world cup.

no it was more a way of saying "when nations with infinite wealth want to make something happen, they will make it happen" In more simplistic sense, imo the only way they will get the WC is if they spend millions (billions?) to get other people to vote for them, and if they are going to spend that much to get it there, they aren't going to fail in getting it set up perfect.

would love the USA to get it, you just can't compare to their stable of 90,000 person + stadiums and financial resources (in terms of making money, not boondoggle stadiums ala Qatar). Wish they were more viable for 2018 for selfish reasons.

I know that Sepp loves his legacies so I wouldn't be shocked if he goes for 1 legacy and 1 safe choice ..... so either England or USA + Russia or Qatar

how are either of these combos 1 legacy+1 safe choice? if you had england + qatar or russia + usa, that wouuld be 1 of each, but putting england and america together is two safe choices, and russia + quatar is two legacies.

America clearly have the best bids with the stadium sizes/money/etcetc, if it was voted on purely for that, they would get it every single time, in fact, that might not be a bad idea!!! it would do the world of football a massive good.

haha sorry, misread your post. FAIL!!

russian whores tho

No it wouldn't thats absurd. Anyway USA is obviously an extremely good candidate but they hosted it as recently as '94 and its not like they don't have their own problems such as the huge size of the country.

every other world cup is in euro land. thats ok, but i do think the usa should get a few of those. like once ever 16 yrs should be in usa.

euro
usa
euro
sa/asia/africa/whatever
euro
usa

every other year euroland gets a wc and the usa is begging to get it after 24 or 28 yrs. despite great stadiums and a history of doing up sporting events proper.

you are so annoying. what is absurd about that? the greatest sporting nation in the world getting more exposure to soccer would not be a good thing? christ. Imagine if some of the little whippersnappers from NFL/NBA/NHL came to footy instead of those other ******ed games

compare this to the rest of the world, and it seems pretty damn clear to me why the yanks getting WC's does us all a service.

Ra and I had a week long argument about this sometime back in May. He will not be swayed. Just quit now.

You have the habit, like so many others, of thinking Europe is one big country like USA. Its not. Your idea is unfair and unrealistic. You have Europe and the USA both having it too often (USA absurdly so).

England haven't had it since 66. Despite great stadiums and having the longest and richest history in the entire sport. Once again calling it 'euroland' and making it seem like Europe is one nation just makes a mockery of your argument.

Yes, the USA getting every single World Cup would be a good thing. And I am annoying? Would you please check yourself before you wreck yourself.

BTW, Ra_Z-Boy, Is you handle supposed to be some sort of Korean way to pronounce a recliner manufacturer? I'm not trolling. Just genuinely curious.

No we didnt. At least your argument was simply on the merits of the USA's bid this time around. Not USA to host literally every single tournament.

My name isn't the korean way to pronounce it. Its supposed to be a poker reference. But its kind of cheesy.