Could Qatar lose the 2022 World Cup?
According to recent reports, FIFA might have to reconsider the decision it made in 2010.
Qatar has been at the center of controversy since 2010 when it was announced that the nation would host the 2022 tournament. Many questioned the weather conditions and infrastructure then and they have continued to be an issue to this day.
There have been calls for the tournament to be moved to the winter months but this has continually caused uproar from the major European leagues that would be forced to alter their schedules. The fact that most of the major international soccer stars play for most of these European leagues only exacerbates this problem.
Throw in recent claims that well over 400 migrant workers involved in the construction of the stadium infrastructures have died in Qatar and the controversy increases to exorbitant heights.
ESPN reports that a high-ranking FIFA executive noted that the organization is struggling to find a solution for all of these issues.
"We have our backs against the wall in terms of finding the right date. There isn't a solution in sight, even if the tournament does not take place in the summer," he stated.
So what happens if FIFA takes the tournament away from Qatar? Who becomes the host nation? Here are a few possibilities to explore.
The United States
Back in 2010 the Americans bid for the tournament and finished second in votes. Obviously some of the voters were in favor of the Americans hosting a tournament. The fact that they already achieved the feast in 1994 makes the nation a quick and easy replacement.
The United States already has the stadiums to host the event. With the MLS running throughout the summer, the Americans will already be prepared to host the event. Throw in the massive population in the United States, the growing interest in the sport and the potential revenue from broadcasting rights and marketing and you have the makings of a successful tournament.
The 1994 tournament was the best attended in history with an average of 69,000 fans per match; the 3.6 million attendees at that tournament continue to make it the highest in the World Cup history. Thirty years later the tournament would likely draw a lot more and make it the most profitable World Cup in history.
Australia
One of the reasons that Qatar won the bid was because of its sentimentality. Those in charge of promoting the bid questioned when the Middle East would get a chance at hosting the World Cup. Australia is the only other major continent that can make the same appeal. Africa had one. Asia had one. Europe, South and North America have had their fair share of tournaments. So why not Australia?
The continent has stadiums to host the tournament and would have eight years to engage in the necessary renovations to host the tournament.
Australia has also started to establish itself as a solid soccer nation and will be competing in its third straight tournament.
The major pitfall for the continent is that it only received one vote in 2010; this would imply that FIFA was not in favor of giving Australia a chance to host the tournament.
South Korea and Japan
The Koreans finished third in the bidding back in 2022 while Japan finished in fourth. Many felt that it was too soon to give the Koreans and Japanese another World Cup; both nations hosted the tournament in 2002. That tournament was a huge success, but did present its own variety of issues.
Among the main problems for Korea and Japan were the different time zones from the major soccer nations. While the Americas were forced to watch major group matches at 2:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., the Europeans were forced to watch their matches at the start of the normal workday at around 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Europe?
FIFA has stated that it will not give the same continent two straight World Cup tournaments. Russia will host the 2018 edition, likely meaning the Europe will not get a chance to host the 2022 tournament. However, the extreme circumstances may invite FIFA to reconsider its decision. If the organization chooses to change the tournament venue quickly, it may need a nation ready to host the tournament without any major overhauls in infrastructure. While the United States would be an attractive venture, the European nations would almost make more sense considering that their leagues and venues are already in place and ready to host the tournament. Europe is constantly engaged in major international tournaments including the Euro Cup and Champions League and would be a quick fix for such a tenuous situation.
Which nation should host the 2022 World Cup if Qatar is no longer allowed to?