World Cup 2018 and 2022: Site Selection

[minionofmidas]

Qatar? Lol. Deary dear. Without a doubt that the stadia will be spanking new, structurally sound, designed according to the latest fashion, very expensive, and completed on time, but that's hardly the only thing to go by, is it?

I might have voted for Russia myself (see above, this thread), but then I have perverse taste. (Oh, also - it's not much of a surprise; England was "favored", but not heavily favored; Russia would have payed the second shortest odds.)

And apparently there's the off chance Temarii gets today's events thrown out in court anyhow (because he was excluded from the vote without due process, just because he's evidently guilty as all hell; and these later-revealed folks weren't. Lol.) , which would of course be FIFA Nuclear Meltdown. And thus won't happen.

[minionofmidas]

Of course, the US is not immune to corruption- see 2002 Olympics but this one smells.

IIRC they're usually considered round about tied with France for second most corrupt major western country (behind Italy o/c.)

EDIT: I suppose Spain counts as major, so make that third.

[Akno21]

Is there any way for every country to leave FIFA and start a new governing body for soccer?

[Landslide Lyndon]

Russia is due a world cup and I don't really have too much of a problem with it.  That doesn't mean I would want to go there...  
  

Obviously you haven't met many Russian ladies.

[Edu]

Good, this gives me yet another excuse to go to Russia again for the 4th time in my life

Qatar on the other hand..lol

[GMantis]

Clearly won by dubious means, but a reasonable case could certainly have been made.

Any evidence or its the old "Russia never wins anything fairly" routine?

Putin already has the puppets out defending the victory...

Oh, you caught me. Of course the Russian government is paying people like me to defend them on random American forums, it's not as if a sane person would think it possible that Russia could win without bribery

Clearly won by dubious means, but a reasonable case could certainly have been made.

Any evidence or its the old "Russia never wins anything fairly" routine?

Why would I go down that road when I'm not a Russophobe? Fifa is institutionally corrupt, as is the Russian government. Two plus two usually equals four, though I'll admit that I'm no good at maths. I'm not even especially annoyed at Russia getting it, tbh.

Qatar though...

Just because something is possible, doesn't mean that it has clearly happened. When one considers that Blatter frowns on multiple country bids and his bad relations with the FA, Russia winning doesn't seem unlikely (of course, this involves Blatter manipulating the decision, which is as worse).

[patrick1]

Russia is due a world cup and I don't really have too much of a problem with it.  That doesn't mean I would want to go there...  
  

Obviously you haven't met many Russian ladies.

Yes, Russian women are attractive.  However, I'd be more concerned with getting my head caved in by some vodka soaked yob.  Perhaps it is too much internet but so much of the violent stuff I see originates in Russia. I would like to visit one day but I wouldnt want it to be in a world cup atmosphere.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Russia is due a world cup and I don't really have too much of a problem with it.  That doesn't mean I would want to go there...  
  

Obviously you haven't met many Russian ladies.

Yes, Russian women are attractive.  However, I'd be more concerned with getting my head caved in by some vodka soaked yob.  Perhaps it is too much internet but so much of the violent stuff I see originates in Russia. I would like to visit one day but I wouldnt want it to be in a world cup atmosphere.

Yeah, because being mugged by a crack addict never happens in big US cities.

I lived five years at an eastern Europe capital and nobody ever touched me.
Believe me, Hostel was not based on a true story.

[Јas]

Wow...England got crushed...

2018 Bids	Rd1	Rd2
Russia	9	13
Spain/Portugal	7	7
Belguim/Netherlands	4	2
England	2	-

But not quite as badly as Australia did...

2022 Bids	Rd1	Rd2	Rd3	Rd4
Qatar	11	10	11	14
USA	3	5	6	8
South Korea	4	5	5	-
Japan	3	2	-	-
Australia	1	-	-	-

[patrick1]

Russia is due a world cup and I don't really have too much of a problem with it.  That doesn't mean I would want to go there...  
  

Obviously you haven't met many Russian ladies.

Yes, Russian women are attractive.  However, I'd be more concerned with getting my head caved in by some vodka soaked yob.  Perhaps it is too much internet but so much of the violent stuff I see originates in Russia. I would like to visit one day but I wouldnt want it to be in a world cup atmosphere.

Yeah, because being mugged by a crack addict never happens in big US cities.

I lived five years at an eastern Europe capital and nobody ever touched me.
Believe me, Hostel was not based on a true story.

I said nothing about Eastern Europe, I said nothing about Hostel,  I am talking about Russia and the world cup.
-Russia has a pretty rampant alcohol problem.  Youth gangs in Russia are also fond of organizing fights over their favorite football teams and thus has a strong hooligan element . Throw in a few hundred thousand drunken foreign tourist into that mix and that is a place I don't want to be.

[Lief 🗽]

Here are some fun facts about Qatar!

You must be logged in to read this quote.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-east-north-africa/qatar

Good job, you corrupt idiots.

[patrick1]

^As part of the bid they said they would set up drinking tents for the infidels.  I doubt they will drop their stance on the gheys.   

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

^As part of the bid they said they would set up drinking tents for the infidels.  I doubt they will drop their stance on the gheys.   

Well that means half the players there are going to be mighty uncomfortable.

[Boris]

So, basically, unlike The United States, South Korea, Japan, and Australia, you can't do anything fun in Qatar. Other than watch soccer. If that even counts as "fun."

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Russia... I get.  Ok, I'm fine with it, give them a chance to show off on the world stage.

Qatar... this is ridiculous.  It's a tiny country with a population of under 2 million with ridiculous laws against having any fun.  Jesus, you might as well have selected South Jersey to host the FIFA World Cup, and that would be more fun! 

Corrupt bastards.

[GMantis]

I would have to say that giving Qatar the World Cup is probably the worst decision FIFA ever made, it even beats the 1954 tournament system.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I would have to say that giving Qatar the World Cup is probably the worst decision FIFA ever made, it even beats the 1954 tournament system.

Isn't it all about $$$$$$$$$$  ??

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I would have to say that giving Qatar the World Cup is probably the worst decision FIFA ever made, it even beats the 1954 tournament system.

Isn't it all about $$$$$$$$$$  ??

Yes, but only those under the table, in brown envelopes, in suitcases and in fistfuls shoved under the doors of public toilets.

[Silent Hunter]

Here are some fun facts about Qatar!

You must be logged in to read this quote.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-east-north-africa/qatar

A World Cup in Qatar? This is going to be fun...

[Хahar 🤔]

To be fair, there have been a lot of countries with serious issues that have hosted World Cups in the past. 1934 and 1978 were both held under the auspices of out-and-out dictatorships, and 1970 and 1986 were organized by the PRI regime in Mexico. Then again, none of those places had large-scale slavery.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

FIFA has long reached self-parody level. This clinches it. Can we even say it is as corrupt as the IOC? I know that´s hard but...

[Robespierre's Jaw]

I guess if we are ever to host a World Cup, we must only become impoverished but forget we were ever signatories of the UDHR.

[GMantis]

Here's an article with speculation about possible reasons for FIFA's decision.
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-Issues/2010/1202/Five-things-Russia-and-Qatar-did-right-to-win-World-Cup-bids/Infrastructure

[Linus Van Pelt]

Quite aside from any off-pitch issues, it also means this gang automatically get one of the thirty-two spots:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLvoT6TlRec&feature=related

[Keystone Phil]

I am obviously still pissed at these totally laughable picks but two things I'll give to Qatar: the stadia look really cool and I like the scenery (not that I can see myself making the trip there. Then again, it's twelve years down the road so who knows what could happen...). Their social laws really wouldn't affect me anyway so I'm not whining about that. 

The Russian selection probably doesn't irritate me more than Qatar because Qatar screwed out the only bidder I really cared about but it pisses me off that Russia beat out two clearly better potential hosts.

These two picks should end the silly feel good, history making host selections but since this is a joke organization, 2026 could produce another head shaking announcement. Maybe they'll give the games to Cuba since the Castro's will be gone!