After all the discordant bidding flawed with too much of sleaze and illegitimate deal making, Russia and the Gulf State of Qatar were given the opportunity of hosting the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The conclusion of the highly frenzied lobbying saw world football ultimate Sepp Blatter revealing the winners after a clandestine ballot of 22 FIFA executive committee members in Zurich. The proclamation meant that the World cup will be hosted by the two countries which had never before had the chance of staging them after the tournament that is to be held in Brazil in 2014.
Russia prevailed in the 2018 race, displeasing England and shared tenders from Spain and Portugal and Belgium and the Netherlands.
The outcome signified a stunning comeback for Russia, after Prime Minister Vladimir Putin declined to join the lobbying effort in Zurich. Putin had also launched a stinging attack on England’s bid on the eve of the vote.
But all the shock waves held the place when Qatar achieved the position over powering its competitors United States, Australia and Asian rivals South Korea and Japan in a remarkable result. Qatar 2022 bid president Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Thani promised: “We won’t let you down. You will be proud of us, proud of the Middle East.“
Qatar’s win came despite serious uncertainties being brought up about the logistical tribulations of performing the football play-off in the Gulf during the scorching heat of the summer months. Although the Qataris have agreed to build a collection of state of the art stadium which are climate-controlled, the technology but the technology seems that it has not been tested before on large scale as such.
Tags: FIFA World Cup, Football, Gulf, Qatar, Russia, Sports, Zurich