What's this, Federal and State governments bring up concept of hosting World Cup in 2018! If it's our turn sure, But I'm not sure these polys really know what this requires. Yes Sydney did hold a very good Olympics. But World Cup football is comletely different. Sydney & Melbourne have facilities, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth etc don't. Living in Adelaide the stadiums are not up to standard. Hindmarsh stadium is a nice football stadium, but to small! Adelaide Oval is only good for Cricket and AFL (Seen the rugby there, it's was s#$t house! needed benoculars to see anything, found myself watching the big screen all the time) plus the groung is to small! Football park is another vast stadium, only good for AFL. Plus if the World Cup is in June, then AFL is on! To build or upgrade will cost billions. Look at Germany, Magnificent stadiums, But they already had good Football stadiums. Could go on & on picking holes in this idea. Would love to see this happen, But the anti football public would bitch & moan about the waste of money etc, Christ they did here in Adelaide when they upgraded Hindmarsh Stadium for the Olympic football. Just don't think the government really has any idea about hosting a World Cup, But has too start somewhere. If they can study it and see what's possible. I remember a few years back a Victorian mp said Melbourne could host the world cup! Ha! see what I mean (NO IDEA!) At least football is turning this country into a real sporting nation!
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! Brisbane has what is probably the best football ground in the country. You're probably right about them having no idea what it takes. There are some venues where NRL is played that have potential but need upgrading eg Canberra, Newcastle, Townsville. The AFL states would have problems coming up with suitable grounds, but they could all put up a venue that would be OK for group matches. The biggest problem is that current FIFA regs only allow one city to have two venues. That means we need 9 cities with stadiums capable of hosting matches. Either Sydney or Melbourne would probably be the place with 2 venues, but do we have 8 other cities? Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle, Townsville could make up six. Where would the other one come from. I doubt the Central Coast or Wollongong stadiums could be upgraded. Does Geelong have one or maybe somewhere else?
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! You my dear friend seem to be lacking knowledge of Australia as much as the Pollies. By saying Brisbane has no stadiums shows this up badly. Suncorp Stadium capacity 52,000 is one of THE best rectangular football grounds in Australia. They also have QE2 or ANZ or whatever its called up there now which is an ectangular athletic stadium with permament 48,000 but can be expanded up to 58,000 (ie for 97 superleague g/final). And they also have the Gabba capacity 42,000. Now you say the AFL grounds are no good for soccer- but how many big soccer games have been played at the MCG? or even Subiaco in Perth? Quite a lot- and you don't hear much complaining about that. So you could include AAMI stadium in Adelaide if you really wanted to- i'm sure it could cater for a soccer game or two- even if it is mid-footy season. Germany had 12 stadiums for the World Cup- 6 were brand new, and the other 6 were all renovated and expanded. Their capacities were from 41,000 to 72,000. Between Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane you have 6 basically new stadiums which would need no more money put into them. Hence we would need six more stadiums to look at. Subiaco in Perth- is being expanded to 60-70,000 by the WA government- and they have had soccer there before. that's 7. AAMI stadium in Adelaide- 51,000- that's 8 Now we get to the part where we include New Zealand. An Asia/Oceania combined bid has its merits. New Zealand are upgrading their stadiums for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, and lets just say we include the big 3 cities. Auckland- Eden Park- to be upgraded to 60,000 from 45,000 Christchurch- Jade Stadium- to be upgraded to 55,000 from 36,000 Wellington- currently 35,000 that's 11 and a stronger two country bid- ie Japan/Korea that only leaves one stadium left for regional Australia to be upgraded. Newcastle fits 26,000 currently, and Townsville fits 25,000. esp Townsville- wouldnt be hard at all to temporarily increase capacity to 40,000 + thats 12. even without NZ we would still have to only upgrade/expand 4 more stadiums- hardly billions of dollars. It is a lot more possible than you think.........
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! What about the parking at hindmarsh, and public transport. AMMI stadium would need major re-surfacing, not thats its bad, but the ground is built on sort of like a hill for drainage. That would need to be flattened. But for a WC Adelaide would need a new venue. They should put it in the Eastern Suburbs just for me. lol. They could buy the land from Paradise community church and the oval next to it and build a massive stadium with parking facilities. The o barn is right on it as well.
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! I'm slightly skeptical about this, right now, football is the big talking point, and it's just like politicians to jump in and get as much political mileage out of it as they can I wouldn't be surprised if their enthusiasm fades away, once the media and general public turn their attention back to the rugby/cricket I hope im wrong though, we can no doubt handle such an event, a few stadiums will need to be upgraded/built, but unlike the olympic facilities that were built, that sit unused for most of the time now, these new/upgraded stadiums would be put to great use by the A-league before and after the WC is over The FFA need to do their best to keep interest in football alive, with A-League, the AFC games and whatever friendlies we have lined up, it shouldn't be too much trouble
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! with the amount of money such an event would bring in, i'm sure a sport-loving australian government would be willing to pump millions of dollars into it. i mean hey, look what we built for the olympics, imagine what we'd build for an even bigger sporting event..
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! I never said we have no stadiums. Just for football, AFL/Cricket grounds are far too vast. MCG being the exception! Adelaide Oval plus AAMI stadium would need huge upgrading. Football needs certain types of stadia! Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane have some very good stadiums. I would still like to see what FIFA has to say on these though. Most cricket grounds I believe are not all seater stadiums, and I don't think putting up temporary seating is ideal either. Maybe it's time for some states to invest in multi sport stadiums for use in all forms of football etc. would make sense! Australia will play Lebanon at adelaide Oval for the Asian Cup qualifier. will wait and see what the reports are from that! Anayway lets keep talking on this, It could turn out to be something worthwhile!
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! I don't know how big the AFL stadium in Adelaide is, but I'm sure your comment that the MCG isn't vast was tongue in cheek. FIFA would have no problem with MCG, Telstra Dome, Telstra STadium, Aussie Stadium or Suncorp Stadium. The problem is they don't like two venues in one city, and only allow it in one city for a world cup. You would have to choose between Sydney and Melbourne as to which city gets two stadiums. The MCG is and so is Sydney (although that wont be used as anything other than a training ground. Temporary seating was used in most of the German stadiums. What they did was redesign some terraces. The Germans like standing room at soccer matches so those seats will come out now. Sydney and Melbourne both have multi sport venues, although the Telstra dome rarely gets set up in football mode. The Olympic stadium has moveable banks of seats and can be set up as a rectangular ground for Rugby and Soccer, and an oval ground for AFL or cricket. Adelaide Oval falls well short of FIFA requirements and I doubt this will be a world cup venue. The cricket establishment like the feel of the current ground too much.
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! Given the ten year lead time we would have plenty of time to perform upgrades to the stadiums. The venues in Germany did not seat 90000 like the MCG can. Most our grounds have a 60,0000 capacity, more than enough.
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! if we want to host the world cup we can do it easy, we might not have all the stadiums ready now but there will be plenty of time to build atleast 3 new stadiums.. which could be since southafrica are building about 5 more for their world cup and all the money taken out by buying the stadiums will be put back in by all the tourism and shit from the world cup edit: and i think the final would be hosted at telstra stadium instead of mcg because telstra is closer to the players and the players at mcg are a fair way away from the crowd and will look crap on tele when they do the high shots like they did in berlin (which looked amazing by the way when they went behind that terrace part)
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! If we ever get to host I'm certain the final will be in Sydney as its by far a better football ground. Suncorp is too small for the final. Melbourne will get the opening game and a semi as consolation.
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! lol, If South Africa can get itself ready for the 2010 World Cup, surely a sporting nation like Australia can..
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! The main problem that Australia would face in hosting the World Cup would be the travelling distance between states and stadia. almango said before that FIFA don't like more than one stadium in one city, however, in a country with only 6 states, such the move is inevitable. I'd say that if we do host the World Cup in the near future, it will be predominantly in Melbourne and Sydney, exceptions for some group stage matches and a few of the round of 16 matches. I also reckon a new stadium, of about 50 - 60,000 capacity, will be built in Sydney, which will probably become the home to Sydney FC and the A-League. Telstra Stadium will be used for the final too i reckon.
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! Adelaide oval is a joke. We wont need reports its going to be a disgrace. Fans would need to bring a telescope. How much are telescopes these days, I'm going to have to buy one .
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! FIFA have closed the book on joint bids. So you can forget about NZ stadia. I'd rather have 2010 in Australia than in 2018, but as a football-mad fan, i must protest against the idea of either hosting a cup. I already know S africa will be crap, now you want us fans to accept australia.....? Once your national sport is not rugby, we should talk.
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! Nothing is forever. The joint bid situation was closed because of issues in Japan Korea. While I acknowledge they have said they would not be looking at joint bids again, I don't think that rules it out forever, just for right now. In the future, they may change their minds. I think an Australian World Cup would be a great time. There may be many obstacles and challenges in hosting this tournament in a country as geographically large as Australia with out a huge built in soccer culture, but I for one believe that Australia is capable of overcoming these challenges. The one obstacle that I believe will come up in a bid for 2018 that may be tough to beat, is I am not so sure that World Cup will be anywhere other than Europe. If South Africa and South America (Brazil) end up working out, as I think they will, 12 years will have past since the cup was played in Euorope. It has never gone more than eight years away before. I doubt the powers that be will allow 16 years between World Cup tournaments in Europe.
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! I agree. Having said that, i read somewhere that FIFA said as a matter-of-fact that the tourney will be rotated between the 4 continents. So, by default, Europe would see 12yr gaps between cups. However, i cannot see any other african country hosting the WC after Morocco, just because it is so close to europe. Same with Asia/Oceania, after China and Australia get theirs....and those are veeeeeery long shots. Methinks US has a better chance to host another cup in the near future before those two Eventually in the year 3010 I personally would be happy if it were rotated between a Euro zone country, South America and Mexico. But FIFA thinks in $$ signs.
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! So you dont think Asia, Africa, Oceania or North America should get a chance to host it?
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! Sorry, but that is correct at least for the foreseeable future. Nothing against the country or the people living in it. It's just that football is not part of the culture. It is like saying that argentina should host a rugby world cup....everyone knows that argentina is big in rugby, but no one is saying something something as outlandish as that they should host a cup. Why? Because it doesn't run in their veins. Its not the game of their life, yet. For some it is (i can think of Egypt and some middle eastern countries) but they don't have the infrastructure, or economy is not big enough to fill stadiums at FIFA prices. I am sure things will change, but it takes a generation or two for the change to be noticeable. Since i won't be around then, i'd like to have my cups with a lot passion, some obsession , and just a sprinkle of madness, please. Can i take that to go?
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! While I wish I could refute your argument about football culture as being irrelevent, I know that is a factor in how great a world cup can be. The financial windfall of the tournament is not the only factor a great tournament. Iknow this was one of the complaints with USA 94 and it is likely very valid. In the future I think tournaments in the United States would be more enjoyable and have a better atmosphere than 94 did, but I do not think that should even be a concern with Australia. It would be a different experience than Germany, but the sporting passion of Australians seems to be off the charts to me. Did you see the pictures of their playoff win against Uruaguay? They may not be soccer mad like the rest of the world, but even more than the United States, they know how to get up for big events. The atmosphere in Australia would be awesome.
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! Well said. Apparently 75000 Aussies travelled to Germany for the WC. To put that in perspective, England had 85000 travel there. Considering the distances involved for Australians to travel to Germany, those numbers are quite impressive. Very impressive for a country that does not like football (as Dragonlord puts it!). I guarantee that if a WC was held in Australia, the stadiums would be full, the people would party, and the atmosphere would be second to none. One thing Aussies can do is host world class sporting events and host them well. Australians know how to put on a show
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! I think what will happen is a rotation between 3 regions ie Europe, America, Rest of World. In America it could rotate between North and South and in the ROW rotate between Africa/Asia but could be flexible depending on who bids and if they are capable. It should end up something like this 2006 Europe 2010 Africa 2014 South America 2018 Europe 2022 Asia 2026 North America etc I think 2022 will be between China and Australia.
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! RE-POST: Wouldn't be too hard to alter some cricket venues - they'll have about 7years to make alterations which is plenty of time (I've visited the Homebush Bay area of Sydney plenty of times between 1995-2000). Over 40,000 capacity that can host matches Sydney Stadium Australia (Olympic) - 83,000 SCG - 44,000 SFS - 42,000 Melbourne MCG - 100,000 Docklands - 56,000 Brisbane Lang Park (Suncorp) - 52,000 The Gabba - 42,000 ANZ Stadium - 48,000 Adelaide AAMI - 51,000 Adelaide Oval - 33,000 (could be altered) Perth Subiaco - 42,000 http://www.austadiums.com/index.php Won't happen. Why not just use the SFS (Aussie stad)? The A-League is played in the Rugby codes off season so it'll always be available. And if you want to go bigger, use the Olympic stadium.
Re: Australia to host World Cup 2018! maybe the MCG could host two games at once. What about bob jane stadium?