Friday, December 3, 2010

Quatar: Host of World Cup 2022


Yes. It is true.

Quatar is going to host  World Cup 2022. The U.S. bid presentation on Wednesday wasn't  up to the mark.

This is a big blow for U.S. soccer and Major League Soccer.

In another surprising vote, FIFA's 22-man executive committee granted the 2018 World Cup to Russia instead of England, Spain/Portugal and Netherlands/Belgium.

The U.S. bid committee crisscrossed the world to lobby voters for the past 18 months, and it had the best economic case of any of the 22 bidders for winning the bid. In spite of all that, Qatar, a nation the size of Connecticut, beats United States for 2022 World Cup

Qatar says it will build air-conditioned stadiums and training grounds to protect the players and fans from the summer heat of  110-degree. FIFA's own inspection team which visited the petrol rich country was satisfied with the answer. The message here is that petrodollars talk. Twelve years is a long time for preparation, any way.

The Qataris plan to spend $4 billion on nine stadiums that will be equipped with state-of-the-art outdoor air-conditioning systems, and another $50 billion on infrastructure. But many are skeptical of the success of such an event.

The head of the Qatar bid committee and member of their governing family, Sheikh Mohammad bin Hamad Al-Thani, thanked FIFA in the following words.  “We will not let you down. You will be proud of us. You will be proud of the Middle East, I promise you this.  Thank you for believing in change, thank you for believing in expanding the game, thank you for giving Qatar a chance.”

This would have a massive impact on the country's infrastructure and economy as it would improve liquidity and affect companies in the real estate, communications and logistics sectors.

It is difficult to predict ahead of 12 long years, what will happen in the future. Should we sit sulking like a loser and keep on predicting doom, or feel happy for giving  chance to a small nation like Quatar to  rise to the occasion  and prove its words.

It is up to us.

Introducing Qatar 2022's First Five Stadiums

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