The five countries bidding to host the 2022 World Cup will play their final cards on Wednesday as the battle to host sport`s biggest event reaches its climax.
|Last Updated: Dec 01, 2010, 09:25 AM IST|Source: Bureau
Zurich: The five countries bidding to host the 2022 World Cup will play their final cards on Wednesday as the battle to host sport`s biggest event reaches its climax.
Australia, South Korea, Qatar United States and Japan will each have 30 minutes to make their final presentations to FIFA`s executive committee, who will vote for the winners on Thursday when they also choose the hosts for the 2018 World Cup.
FIFA`s executive committee, which usually has 24 members, has been reduced to 22 after Reynald Temarii of Tahiti and Amos Adamu of Nigeria were suspended this month. This followed allegations made by the Sunday Times that they had offered to sell their votes to undercover newspaper reporters.
The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) was hoping to replace Temarii with acting president David Chung of Papua-New Guinea, but this can only happen once the Tahitian has renounced his right to appeal to resigned.
However, Temarii, banned for one year for breaking FIFA rules on general ethics and loyalty, announced through his lawyer late on Tuesday that he did not intend to quit his post as head of the OFC.
The presentations will be the culmination of intense lobbying by the five bids of the 22 members, including FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
"It does make an impression," said Australia bid leader Frank Lowy.
"He doesn`t just sit and there and listens, he asks questions, he wants to be informed.
"He wants to be sure the award will be given to the best contender. It`s a very polite discussion but you have to watch for the signs."
CLEAR FAVOURITES
There are no clear favourites in the race in which only Australia and Qatar have not hosted the tournament before.
The United States are seen as a safe bet and topped the list of revenue potential in a survey by management consultants McKinsey.
Australia, inspired by the success of Germany in 2006 when the fan fests and party atmosphere transformed the country`s image, are offering a fun-packed experience for visitors, plus vast experience in organising major events.
Qatar are trying to convince FIFA that air-conditioned stadiums using green technology will enable them to stage the tournament despite summer temperatures of over 50 Celsius.
Japan`s bid has a touch of science fiction with plans for holographic broadcasts of matches.
Dynamic South Korea, who co-hosted 2002 with the Japanese, is offering a spicy alternative and the possibility of sharing matches with reclusive neighbour North Korea.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.