Posted on 12/02/2010 8:32:48 AM PST by Obadiah
Qatar was selected as host of the 2022 World Cup, beating out a bid by the United States to bring soccer's showcase back to America for the first time since 1994.
FIFA's executive committee choose Qatar over the U.S., Australia, Japan and South Korea in a secret vote Thursday.
Minutes earlier, Russia was announced as host of the 2018 tournament. It was chosen over England and joint bids by Spain-Portugal and Netherlands-Belgium.
Qatar, the smallest nation to host the World Cup, used its 30-minute presentation to underline how the tournament could unify a region ravaged by conflict. Presenters also promised to overcome summer heat of up to 130 degrees by air conditioning outdoor stadiums it will build, then dismantle and give to needy nations.
"Thank you for believing in change, thank you for believing in expanding the game, thank you for giving Qatar a chance," said Sheikh Mohammad bin Hamad Al-Thani, Qatar's bid chairman. "We will not let you down. Youu will be proud of us, you will be proud of the Middle East and I promise you this."
(Excerpt) Read more at bleacherreport.com ...
Am i the only person who flips the channel when commercials come up?
A question: What's the relative popularity of soccer in Canada, where football, both CBL, and college is popular, and soccer, because of weather, has a somewhat limited season?
No. You aren't alone. And it drives the advertisers crazy.
NO VUVUZELAS???
thank you FIFA
(while you're at it take the thunder sticks and rally rags with you.)
I don’t know if we’re depending no it, for one thing this World Cup isn’t even until 2022. But facts are facts and the fact is that bringing in a couple hundred thousand tourists for a month would be a fat lot of money for those regions. And it probably wouldn’t include spending on new stadiums, I don’t think any new ones got built for the last one that was here.
Sounds like Qatar threw out a lot of pie-in-the-sky hooey to get the bid.
Just like the Olympic bid that had 0 traveling to make his pitch; then the CNN anchor repeated in disbelief, “Chicago is OUT? Chicago is OUT?” :) I loved it.
A friend on my facebook who lives in Chicago and is prob on the Obama worshiping side was a little puzzled that I took pleasure in Chicago losing the bid; why should we be happy Chicago lost out? I said because Chicago is the home of corrupt politicians who would ruin everything, plus 0bama
was campaigning for it.
Schadenfreude!
So US lost out on World Cup bid. Waaaaaah. Sorry to offend soccer fans on here (and it is soccer; football for me
means the gridiron) but I just can’t get into people running up the field. People running down the field.
People running up. Running down. Running...and if you’re lucky someone, someone may actually score a goaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal! Gooooooooooooooooooal!
What excitement...
and miss gems like R. Lee Ermey as a shrink, or the old spice guy riding on a horse...backwards, or dos equis ‘the most interesting man in the world’ sewing up his own wounds.
Capitalism at its best...you're missing out on some fine entertainment.
Tell that to the English or Irish Teams
I’m hoping that Israel has a really good soccer team starting about 2020.
Here’s a little tidbit about “moderate” Qatar:
On February 24, 2010, Qatar and Iran signed a defense co-operation agreement in which the two countries stressed the need to expand their defense cooperation.[15]
Iran and Qatar will
exchange specialized and technical committees
expand cooperation in training
conduct joint campaigns against terrorism and insecurity in the region
March 10, 2010. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani has given his support to Irans right to nuclear technology, and considers Irans nuclear project to be for peaceful nuclear energy purposes.[16]
I had not seen that picture of Maradonna. Is that the infamous, “hand of god” play?
I just looked it up. Average temp for June & July in Qatar is about 105.
Whoa.
Anyone else see the flag on the yahoo story about this? Is that a 48 star flag? Landon Donovan must be much older than he looks.
They should just sneak across the Mexican border, problem solved.
Another tidbit you need to add-
Centcom has it’s forward operations headquarters in Qatar. So the US has its base in a country which doesn’t mind cosying up to Iran and has hosted Hamas leaders.
http://www.centcom.mil/en/press-releases/centcom-exercises-new-forward-headquarters-in-qatar.html
That is indeed the “Hand of God” goal. One of the worst blown calls in the history of international sport.
}:-)4
FC Barcelona was mesmerizing the other day as they carved up Real Madrid, that was fun to watch.
I’m much more into the UEFA Champions League now.
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