Australian World Cup Bid - 2018/2022

[dbsweeney]

Whether we get 2012 (or 2008 for that matter) is a big ask in itself, but either way this is the worst sort of fearmonering I've ever seen.

If the AFL start trying to play the whole ourgame vs. their game thing, they're gonna end up with pie in their face.

Have a read of this:
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/world-cup-threat-for-afl-20091207-kdhh.html

Also, the worst things for Aussie football (soccer) supporters to do is to start gloating about our sport being the world's game, as that'll just play more into the AFL's hands.

[Geordie]

If you think thats bad enough:



Sadly we going to be haering this from a lot of anti-football media. Its not just the afl states but also nrl media writing stuff like that.

Its what we have to put up with sadly.

[dbsweeney]

Any bias here?

Fresh from greasing the wheels of Australia's World Cup bid with powerbrokers in South Africa, Football Federation Australia boss Ben Buckley has returned home to receive a kicking from rival codes.

His old boss, AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, effectively lobbed a hand grenade by stating that Australia winning the right to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cups could force the AFL to cancel its season.

In his inflammatory statement, Demetriou claimed staging the premier sporting event could force the MCG to be out of action for four months - a disastrous scenario for his code.

That prompted further carefully-designed attacks on the FFA from NRL chief executive David Gallop and MCG boss Stephen Gough, both calling for more information on how Australia's bid will affect them.

So instead of talking to the media about the merits of the Socceroos' draw for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa on Monday, jet-lagged chief executive Buckley was publicly forced to put out a bushfire started by his old mate Demetriou.

The normally-polished Buckley looked a little miffed about the whole affair as he publicly reiterated his stance that no stadium would be out of action for any longer than eight weeks if Australia's bid was successful.

And just six weeks if the arena only hosted group fixtures.

Such a length of time is likely to cause severe disruption rather than the cancellation of an NRL or AFL season.

The drama acted as a timely reminder to Buckley that Australia's fight to claim hosting rights for the World Cup had to be won both at home and abroad.

And that he must keep powerful rival codes on side before the host countries for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments are named next December.

Gallop said: "We are not trying to stand in the way of the World Cup bid but we are not prepared to fall off the face of the planet either".

Buckley said the FFA would discuss with soccer's governing body, FIFA, the possibility of Australia's other football codes continuing their competitions during a World Cup.

The prospect, however, of their code being so heavily overshadowed surely wouldn't be an attractive path for either the AFL or NRL to travel down.

Then Buckley played the card that will be used to settle any squabbling with soccer's rivals.

"We think the World Cup is bigger than any individual sport," he said.

"It is the biggest sporting event in the world, it has significant economic benefits to Australia and enhances our standing as a nation around the world and enormous social benefits.

"I think everybody understands that it is just a matter of working together and constructively and we will find some solutions."

There has been speculation the MCG would need to be configured in a rectangle but Buckley said that wasn't an option his body was "actively pursuing".

The FFA has until May to have all the relevant sporting bodies and stadia on board as that is the due date for its World Cup bid book to be handed to FIFA.

With the MCG contractually bound to host AFL games during the winter months, the FFA must rely on goodwill from the code.

Publicly, the AFL and NRL have no choice but to show their support for the showpiece tournament.

But that doesn't mean they have to make it an armchair ride for the round-ball game either.

Currently on all Channel Nine and Fairfax (SMH, The AGE, WAToday, Brisbane etc.) news sites.

[mi_alma]

It's a shame that even the simple codes (AFL and NRL) can't get their heads around this.....

THE NRL will consider relocating State of Origin to suburban stadiums during a football World Cup, but will demand significant compensation should it agree to such a bold move.

A summit of the four major football codes held in Canberra yesterday failed to end the uncertainty over the consequences of Australia's bid for the 2018 or 2022 World Cups.

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou yesterday re-affirmed to FFA counterpart Ben Buckley that Etihad Stadium cannot be used.

It is believed the NRL is also preparing to dig in if serious disruptions to its season aren't addressed.

But chief operating officer Graham Annesley confirmed last night the NRL was prepared to squeeze the game's showpiece series into smaller stadiums if required.

"State of Origin falls directly into that window and if those matches had to be played in smaller venues we would want to be compensated," Annesley said.

"Obviously, they are three of the biggest matches of the year and we would want to know how they would be affected in any way, shape or form."

The NRL stands to be significantly affected if Australia is successful in its World Cup bid with ANZ Stadium, the SFS, Suncorp Stadium, Dairy Farmers Stadium, EnergyAustralia Stadium and Canberra Stadium mooted as possible venues.

They will all be quarantined from other codes from early May until late July.

NRL sources insist it is not prepared to make such wide concessions and a stalemate looms, although it is prepared to move Origin to smaller stadiums - something that is certain to infuriate league fans.

If Origin were played at small grounds in NSW, such as WIN Stadium or Parramatta Stadium, the attendance would be 50,000 fewer fans than at ANZ Stadium.

With the average price of an Origin ticket about $90 this year, it would cost the game $4.5 million in lost revenue based on today's figures.

Buckley would not be drawn on the prospect of playing Origin at smaller grounds, but it is believed the FFA will consider it.

"FFA accepts that other codes will be disrupted temporarily if we win the World Cup," he said. "We agree with the Government that no code should be left worse off and we will work with them to minimise disruption."

Australia's bid to FIFA must be finalised by May 14

Media is quiet too..... wonder why they aren't getting behind the bid?

Melbourne seems to be the sticking point in the equation. Despite having an allegedly football mad population, AFL and NRL are the most powerful!

Here's a suggestion. F%$* Melbourne off entirely. Just focus on Syd, Bris, and Adelaide!

Make the Melbos travel....or get in on it and show some support...lazy gits.

[Row 'S' Army]

I hate to say this but why would FIFA consider Australia's bid at all?

Consider the following...
- In general the Australian media is hardly backing the bid.
- Australia's two biggest footy codes are making more headlines by complaining about the stadium arrangements and demanding compensation.
- Melbourne, Australia's second biggest city and biggest domestic football fanbase, appears to not want the World Cup at all because 'it's' AFL will be played at the same time.
- Sydney, Australia's biggest city, could only manage just over 13,000 for a domestic football semi-final this season.

All the negative press is a real shame because the potential for football in Australia is massive (just look at the number of people who play the game and/or follow the EPL & La Liga for example) but the non-football lovers far outweigh the fans of the game and they are making all the noise at the minute.

[Geordie]

Sadly we have a massive media issue whom are so united and so so stupid towards all this.

1) While I was getting new tyres put on my car, I read that tribe in Sydney known as the daily telegraph. A certain columist whom I hate says something like Rugby League is a winner in Australia and the media cant get enough. Its farking crap!!! . That newspaper insists "flooding" nrl with 30 pages thats why. Its newspapers like that gives football no chance. When Sydney won the A-League, no media outlet (except for the SMH and cockeril jacking off about it, different story) gave a sh!t and that explains their crowd attendance.

2) I saw bits and bobs of Western Bulldogs v Collingwood at Ethiad, now the idiots who own it (ch7 and afl) re-turffed the pitch after the A-League concluded. Another anti-football moment and Hill, Slater from Fox have been p!ssed off with the treatment of the game at that stadium.

3) Australia wont win 2018, Europe has missed two World Cups and with fat blatter and plantini acting like gay rentboys in bed, England wont get it. We all know how anti UK/Ireland they are.

4) The person we blame here is our stupid idiot prime minister whom suggested it for cheap political points. Now if you are going to make a serious bid, tell these stupid draconian, behind the times anti soccer septics to get a life. Seriously.

5) The NRL may benifit from this, they will get an upgrade of stadiums because they happen to play on a rectangular grounds not ovals.

Overall Im harsh but lets face it, with that sh!te in the media, we completly stuffed with this lot. And yet I do back the bid.

[Row 'S' Army]

Lowy in damage control as Asian boss backs Europe for '18 Cup push
MICHAEL LYNCH
June 10, 2010

RANDFONTEIN: Australia's bid for the 2018 World Cup looks dead in the water after the Asian Football Confederation delivered a body blow to the campaign when it said it would throw its weight behind a European bid to host that tournament when the decision on the venue is made in December.

Football Federation Australia chairman Frank Lowy was scrambling to limit the damage after speaking at a school presentation in Randfontein, near Johannesburg, on Tuesday, insisting that Australia would press ahead with its bid for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, a campaign it has now waged for the past two years.

The United States is the only other country bidding to host either tournament, and Australia's prospects would look to be negligible if it cannot secure the support of its own FIFA confederation. There are several other Asian bids in for 2022, including Qatar, the home of the AFC president Mohamed bin Hammam.

''I have said it a number of times before. We have a bid in for 2018 and 2022. America has the same and we are the only ones who can decide to pull out. We haven't decided it yet. If we do, we will let the world know. Meanwhile, we are legitimate bidders for 2018 and 2022,'' Lowy said.

When asked for his reaction to bin Hammam's move, Lowy said that just because the AFC had opted to throw its support behind a European bid for 2018 - which FIFA chief Sepp Blatter has also made clear is the game's governing body's preference - didn't mean the regional organisation had abandoned Australia.

''Who said he is not supporting Australia? OK, so he is not supporting 2018, but [he's] supporting us for 2022. I mean this is the AFC's choice, we are in for both. We will be pushing it like we have done it for two-and-a-half years. I know there is a consensus, there is plenty of time for us to think of what to do or not to do. Meanwhile we are legitimate bidders for 2018 and so is US. If I thought I had a better chance for 2022 now, we would bid for 2022, but at the moment I don't.''

Lowy said earlier in the week he believed the Australian bid was in a better position than it had been. Now he was rather more equivocal.

''I don't know if we are in a better place than we have been,'' he said. ''We are well placed, we are better than we were a few months ago and we hope to improve between now and December. I don't want to comment on what bin Hammam says. He says what he says … he is my president, but Australia has a bid for '18 and '22.''

Federal sports minister Kate Ellis threw her support behind Lowy.

''The Australians have shown that we are serious about this bid and we are going to do absolutely everything in our power to show the rest of the world that there's no better place than Australia to host the World Cup,'' she said. ''The government has made clear we will be supporting FFA.''

Lowy also said that the FFA would be looking for a replacement for Pim Verbeek as a key priority.

''We have got our looking glasses on all the time,'' Lowy said. ''There is a priority … when we find a good coach we will appoint him, and that will be the priority.''