They've made a proper mess of the World Cup in Brazil. Everything is wrong about it. The politics, the planning... how could anyone think it's a good idea to spread the World Cup across a nation where the distances are so great and the roads, train connections and airports are so poor? They simply don't have the infrastructure to support the millions of people who will be traveling back and forth. And it's not like the money will be spent on improving these things either. It will be spent on stuff FIFA need instead, such as new stadiums and hotels and attractive surrounding businesses.

I have always considered FIFA the premier corrupt organisation of this world, so i am not even moved.

Well people get the government they deserve Kami, so if they are stupid ignorant lazy apathetic and willfully misinformed they get perfect representation.
See! That's how democracy works.

What would you have them do? What options are there? What if the problem isn't even domestically based, an issue of foreign interest? The fault here is clearly not with the general populace...

Let's wait and see. A lot of the criticisms leveled against Brazil were experienced by South Africa 4 or 5 years ago. And then they put on very well-organised World Cup. Big country, far from Europe, inadequate transport, impoverished nation building large stadiums, etc. I have faith that they will pull it off.

That said, there is something wrong with the present FIFA model of a 32 team World Cup. It requires about a dozen top-notch stadia. Really only USA, England and Germany are ready at any one time to host the World Cup. The others who have hosted recently, France, SA, etc are also obviously ready because of the preparations they undertook. Beyond that, no nation can host a World Cup without significant investment, and few of those will be able to adequately use the infrastructure post-World Cup.

FIFA should consider

• smaller World Cups (e.g., 24 teams)
• making the joint bid a normal thing
• reducing the stadium requirements (e.g., 40k seaters). most of your audience is TV-based anyway

Disagree about having lesser teams. It is fine as of now, albeit maybe adjusting allocations to different continents

Coombs wrote:

What would you have them do? What options are there? What if the problem isn't even domestically based, an issue of foreign interest? The fault here is clearly not with the general populace...

Course it is, in a dictatorship there is no choice but in free elections there are plenty of choices.
And if a right wing pro corporate anti environmental anti refugee racist government is elected its because the majority of the people are pro corporate anti environmental anti refugee and racist.
Do you see how that works?

As regards the football, I agree with Claudius, I think it will be a fantastic world cup as Brazil is a great football nation.
Russia should also put on a good tournament.

Clrnc wrote:

Disagree about having lesser teams. It is fine as of now, albeit maybe adjusting allocations to different continents

what are your thoughts on the overall concern that no more than 3 or 4 nations can actually host a World Cup without significant/excessive investment?

I think the joint hosting is a good idea.
Neighbouring countries usually have similar climates and the costs and benefits are shared more equally.

Claudius wrote:

Let's wait and see. A lot of the criticisms leveled against Brazil were experienced by South Africa 4 or 5 years ago. And then they put on very well-organised World Cup. Big country, far from Europe, inadequate transport, impoverished nation building large stadiums, etc. I have faith that they will pull it off.

Kami's concern isn't whether they can carry out the competition - it's about the horrific corruption and waste of taxpayer's money involved. I hope the Brazillians protest at the WC as well, the whole mess is unacceptable.

I don't think Qatar need to worry about 'wasting public funds', pretty sure the citizens are all super rich and have good quality healthcare and education, among the best in the world infact.

The foreign labour on the other hand...

Many were saying the same about the London Olympics by the way, but it's been great for East London and probably the economy in general. If managed correctly these events should be a great way to improve and build on infrastucture and create jobs while at the same time getting most of your money back, if not more in the long run. If it's a mess for Brazil it's because of the way it's been managed rather than taking it on in the first place.

Yeah people are idiots, I bet not too many of them were complaining when Brazil were awarded the tournament.
Did they think it was going to be for free?

Claudius wrote:

Let's wait and see. A lot of the criticisms leveled against Brazil were experienced by South Africa 4 or 5 years ago. And then they put on very well-organised World Cup...

Good point. If you read and believed the British newspapers at the time, ...

lagos wrote:

Well it won't matter, most people I know aren't going to Brazil for the football

It's the nuts isn't it?

lagos wrote:

Well it won't matter, most people I know aren't going to Brazil for the football

It was a wonderful Olympics London put on a great show, and it benefited the city in terms of culture feel good factor and it brought wealth in increased tourism.
The world cup'll be the same.