African bid slow to get started

[sidspaceman]

In just over two years time, FIFA president Sepp Blatter is due to announce the hosts for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ finals, the first to be staged in Africa - but the race to win the bid has not even started yet.

Today's situation contrasts sharply with how things were at the same stage in the bidding process for the 2006 finals.

Then, all the candidates were known, and fully-staffed bidding committees from Brazil, England, Germany, Morocco and South Africa had been in full swing for several years before the Germans won by a single vote over South Africa in a dramatic decision by the FIFA executive committee in Zurich in the summer of 2000.

http://www.fifa.com/Service/MR_A/44841_E.html

[Sachin]

Interesting article.

However, many questions still remain, not least this one: As the 2010 World Cup is the first to be allocated in advance to one confederation, how will the mechanics of the bidding process work?

Will CAF, the African Confederation, chose its own candidate and submit one name to the FIFA Executive - or will it submit three or four names and let FIFA decide the host?


Anyone have any idea of CAF plans to proceed?

Sachin

[sidspaceman]

The World Cup in 2010 is due to be hosted by an African country as FIFA, for the first time, begins a new rotation policy among its six continental confederations.




So it would seem the rotating the World Cups by continets is a done deal. Should be intreasting to see who bids for the cup when Fifa invites bids for the 2010 finals.

[ursula]

Originally posted by Sachin
Interesting article.



Anyone have any idea of CAF plans to proceed?

Sachin

There have been no discussions on this yet as far as I can tell. Every so often I see an article about South Africa bidding but nothing substantial yet. Nothing from other countries like Morocco or Egypt, etc. What's happening now is that the bidding for the '06 African Nation's Cup is to be decided on the 24th of this month.

[SportBoy321]

I can't believe they are going through with their plan to rotate by continent. Dumb idea if you ask me. Oh well I guess if Africa has to get it I woud go with a Morocco-Egypt joint bid. I don't see how any African country can be able to host it by themselves South Africa included. At least not right now anyways maybe in the future places like Nigeria and Cameroon will be able to host by themselves.

[lanman]

Originally posted by SportBoy321
I can't believe they are going through with their plan to rotate by continent. Dumb idea if you ask me.

Agreed, what happens when it is CONMEBOL's turn, and no country can afford to host it, or even be part of a realistic joint hosting?

[sidspaceman]

The earliest CONMEBOl can host it is 2014 nobody knows what South American economies are going to look like than so why worry.

[guri]

http://www.uruguay2030.org/

[sidspaceman]

crazy

[lanman]

Originally posted by sidspaceman
The earliest CONMEBOl can host it is 2014 nobody knows what South American economies are going to look like than so why worry.

Given the current state of the South American economy, I would be shocked if a serious bid could be in place in time. It may be 8 or 9 years until bids are due, but I just can't see it happening.

[sidspaceman]

Is the economey in South Africa that much better than say Brazil? If it is not that much better and they can host a cup than why can't Brazil?

[FunGuy]

I am for S. africa getting the wc in 2010, SA is also better suited than either egypt or morroco. Brazil and SA have a similar GDP per capitia, but South Africa has a better infastructure. I am also in favour of South America getting the cup in 2014 after africa, regardless of what the economy is like in south america at the time. If any one wanted to know South africa's economy is growing faster ( 3%) than most in the western hemisphere right now

[lanman]

South Africa also has an extremely high crime rate, and vast amounts of people live in poverty. There are better, more important things that they should be spending money on before they should look to host the World Cup.

At the end of the day, though, it doesn't really matter, as Blatter has all but promised it to South Africa. Wonder how much that promise cost them?

[SoccerScout]

>>Agreed, what happens when it is CONMEBOL's turn, and no country can afford to host it, or even be part of a realistic joint hosting?
>>


ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Brazil can host a world cup with their eyes closed. In case you havent checked Brazil has one of the largest economies in the world, dozens of large stadiums, lots of hotels and plenty of geography to go around.

If Africa can host a WC you better bet your A$$ Brazil can. Brazil is also looking to host the 2012 Olympics. They already have the 2007 PanAm games.

[lanman]

Originally posted by SoccerScout
ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Brazil can host a world cup with their eyes closed. In case you havent checked Brazil has one of the largest economies in the world, dozens of large stadiums, lots of hotels and plenty of geography to go around.

They also have one of the largest debts in the world, millions upon millions living in shanty towns and the economy is in a bad way.
Countries should address problems before trying to host any major competition. This goes for any country where large numbers of people are trapped in poverty.

[sidspaceman]

Soccer's governing body officially opened the bidding to host the 2010 World Cup, which will be awarded to an African country for the first time.

Only African nations are allowed to bid for the 2010 World Cup, because FIFA decided last year that the competition should rotate among the continents.

http://espn.go.com/soccer/news/2002/1023/1449868.html


This settles it a African country will host the cup in 2010.

[sidspaceman]

At its meeting on 3 August 2000, the FIFA Executive Committee decided that the principle of FIFA World Cup™ rotation must be anchored in the FIFA Statutes, a decision that was ratified by the 52nd Ordinary FIFA Congress in Zurich two days later. On 7 July 2001, the Extraordinary FIFA Congress in Buenos Aires ratified the decision of the FIFA Executive Committee taken on 15 March 2001 that the rotation should start in Africa.

Following these decisions, the FIFA Executive Committee confirmed at its meeting on 23 September 2002 that it would issue an invitation only to the African national associations affiliated to FIFA to submit their bids to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

http://www.fifa.com/Service/MR_M/45276_E.html

[SoccerScout]

>>This goes for any country where large numbers of people are trapped in poverty.
>>

That would mean just about every country, including the USA.

[3rdSt.Jim]

Any African country is going to have an extremely difficult time hosting the WC in 2010. Anyone who claims this is comparable to South America is extremly deluded. Despite recent economic problems in the region, South America remains a relativbely wealthy continent with a very strong footballing infrastructure.

Honestly, you can't say that about Africa. The bid, likely to be heavily weighted towards South Africa and Morocco, offers two extremely poor choices. The instability of both areas does not guarantee a good WC environment in 2010. I feel that FIFA will need a backup, most likely the US or Mexico, if an African World Cup is awarded simply because no one can predict the political situation in either country until a year before the tournament will be hosted. Not good chances, in my opinion.

FIFA has pulled out of hosting World Cups in countries before, they'll be willing to do it again. I honestly hope that South Africa (as the leading contender in Africa) will be able to provide a modern and safe World Cup, but if they can't...I have no problem moving the tournament to a country that can, and likely one that can within a year's notice which means UEFA or CONCACAF.

[n00bie deluxe]

BLA BLA BLA...Africa can't do it...GLOOM...DOOM...

They're gonna do it, and the games are gonna be great. I'm betting on it.
:)