Saudi Arabia WC 2034

[Jonah]

Congratulations, fully deserved and I'm sure will be a huge success with no controversy at all. No sir.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ar ... j0p3x0klzo

[wolf359]

They can hold it the same weekend as the 4th Saudi F1 GP 2034 of the season... stinks.

[DublinDave]

Infantino makes Sepp Blatter look legit.

FIFA have become even more corrupt since that snake took over, only cares about hoovering up the money & couldn't give a toss about the players who are just cash cows to them.
No wonder the clubs & players are getting pissed off with the whole thing.

[EastHam56]

Hope Israel qualify just to make it interesting

[Bend it like Repka]

If the players had any balls they'd strike.

I can only assume the FBI aren't interested in football any more now the Yanks aren't bidding for the World Cup.

That hotbed of football the Middle East gets its second WC in 12 years. Its not even subtle is it?

I barley watched any games in Qatar. Another reason why football is in massive decline with me.

The whole thing stinks and no one seems to be able to stop it.

[Rowly]

Most of todays players will be retired by then.... it's gonna be the kids of around 12 - 18 now that are playing in 2034....

[Daniel1895]

What a shithousery, but who gives a f*** ?
Everbody's fuming now, but everybody will be wtaching anyway and all the associations will take part anyway.
System FIFA is working, as nobody is opposing it.

[sendô]

Saudi Arabia the only bid for 2034 apparently.

Just a procession, presumably because everyone thinks the scorching desert with no proper football culture is the best place to host a World Cup, and nothing to do with all the money.

2030 World Cup across Spain, Portugal and Morocco, but with 3 games in South America. Proper sound environmentally friendly low carbon logistics there.

You'd have thought after Blatter that FIFA would tone down the blatant corruption, but Infantino seems to have ramped it up.

[Antwerp_Lad]

Saudi Arabia the only bid for 2034 apparently.

Just a procession, presumably because everyone thinks the scorching desert with no proper football culture is the best place to host a World Cup, and nothing to do with all the money.

2030 World Cup across Spain, Portugal and Morocco, but with 3 games in South America. Proper sound environmentally friendly low carbon logistics there.

You'd have thought after Blatter that FIFA would tone down the blatant corruption, but Infantino seems to have ramped it up.

Blatter was corrupt but at least he seemed to like football. Infantino is just corrupt.

[vietnammer]

Saudi Arabia the only bid for 2034 apparently.

Just a procession, presumably because everyone thinks the scorching desert with no proper football culture is the best place to host a World Cup, and nothing to do with all the money.

Yeah but they're big into it what with the telly and all. And why shouldn't they be, just like us? What it's all about now. Follow the tv dosh.
It'd be wrong (imo) to base it on whether countries have football clubs formed by workers' teams formed over 100 years ago or not.
Exploited Bangladeshi workers is another matter.

[Daniel1895]

Saudi Arabia the only bid for 2034 apparently.

Well. That is one way to see it ?
Why does the WC in 2030 take part in so many countries ?
Well simply to bypass FIFA's own rule of continental rotation...
Australia pretty sure will be given 2038 for withdraing for 2034.

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

FIFA chief Infantino warned by EU lawmakers over Saudi Arabia World Cup

Members of the European Parliament delivered a stern warning to world football governing body FIFA over the 2034 men’s World Cup to be held in Saudi Arabia, according to a letter obtained by POLITICO.

“We are writing to express our grave concerns regarding the decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia,” read the letter, which was signed by 30 EU lawmakers and addressed to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

[...]

“We also stand in solidarity with the professional footballers who have raised legitimate questions about FIFA’s partnership with [Saudi oil giant] Aramco,” the lawmakers added. “These decisions raise profound concerns about the alignment of FIFA’s values and its commitment to gender equality, human rights, and environmental sustainability.”

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was blighted by accusations that the host country had exploited migrant workers building the infrastructure needed to host the tournament, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people.

In their letter, MEPs noted that “in the aftermath of the 2022 tournament, FIFA pledged to incorporate human rights criteria into its selection process. However, it appears that these commitments have not been substantiated in practice, and the recent decision calls into question FIFA’s true dedication to human rights.”


more...

[YGNB]

The level of corruption is so transparent and obvious you kind of have to admire it

[LouiseLaverty]

Why all the fuss?

[Turns to Stone]

I've just come back from a week working in Saudi. By the time the World Cup arrives in 2034, much of Saudi will be unrecogniseable to what it has traditionally been.

Still a dreadful place for a World Cup in terms of weather and logistics, but by 2034, it will look a lot more like Dubai than it does now.

[Geoff Hurts]

I no longer watch the Qualifying or Group rounds of either the Euros or the World Cup. The competitons are bloated with very weak teams that have no hope of progressing.

Live football coverage has gone far beyond saturation point, so much so that now, I generally only watch games where WHU are involved.

It's absolutely blatant that FIFA as an organisatiion is bent and does not care about sustainability, workers welfare or human rights. The only thing FIFA care about is the money and lining it's coffers and the pockets of it's delegats.

The whole thing stinks and Football governance needs a monumental shake up, but with bent politicians across the globe, no one will be pushing for it anytime soon.

[Ingwe]

We should boycott SA and not go or watch the games. They use their inordinate wealth to buy respectability. F*ck em!

[Pob!]

Why all the fuss?