13 replies to this topic

[Blacksheep]

I did think it was shocking that the Aussie bid for 2022 only gained one vote especially considering the Australian attitude to sport and fitness. Admittedly there were several weaknesses in the bid, but I wonder if Australia bid again to host the 2026 version, the FIFA attitude to hosting the event in new territories gives Australia an opportunity to be exploited, especially as the remaining continent never to have hosted the tournament.

By 2026, the A-league as a domestic competition may have grown with new teams in Hobart and Canberra. And equally as the National Rugby League expands, there might be an opportunity for rectangular shaped stadiums to be built for both rugby and football.

As a tournament requires a minimum of 10 stadium with 44,000 seat capacities (taking into account the 10% of capacity not sold), there are four stadiums which immediately spring to mind as being suitable:

• MCG - 100,000 seats
• Stadium Australia - 84,000 seats
• Lang Park - 52,500 seats
• Sydney Football Ground - 45,500 seats

* the MCG is not really that suitable but is so big it would be foolish not to include it.

To avoid conflict with the NRL and AFL whose seasons clash with the timing of a FIFA World Cup, 6 additional cities would be required.

If we take Perth as an example, neither the Subiacco Oval nor the WACA are ideal for football but with Perth Glory of a A-league, Western Force of Super Rugby and a possible WA Red/Pirates NRL team, surely a 44,000 rectangular stadium could be built - maybe with a reduction in capacity post games. The NIB stadium might be a good location to start.

Equally Adelaide with two inappropriately shaped large stadiums but with an A-League team and with the NRL casting eyes in South Australia's direction could look to built a new suitable stadium. Canberra and Newcastle, the Gold Coast (Skilled Park), and Wollongong, Townsville and a sliding stand stadium in Hobart for an A-League and a AFL franchise, would surely be a bid difficult to beat and maybe more likely to be successful than bidding to host another Olympics.

Building what the Americans called 'soccer specific stadiums' expandable to the minimum seating requirements, and expanding the 10 team A-league to include teams from Canberra, Hobart, the Gold Coast, Wollongong and Townsville might give FIFA all the encouragement they need.

[Sir Rols]

Honestly, I doubt it. First of all, with Qatar having snatched 2022, Asia's out of the mix for 2026 anyway by FIFA's rotation rules. I think 2034 is the soonest Oz could bid again, and I'd expect us to square up against China that round.

Then there's the fallout from the 2022 bid - I don't think there's the stomach to go bid again- especially with all the questions that arose over the spending, and "consultants", we took on board for 2022. It's been pretty murky.

And I wouldn't be too confident on the future of the A-League. Between teams folding and recriminations against the leadership, etc, it's almost like the bid was the only thing keeping it afloat. It's been imploding pretty drastically since the vote.

At the end of the day, we don't care too much about soccer. Oh sure, we might have liked to get 2022, but more for the prestige rather than any great love of the game. At the end of the day soccer will always play a distant second fiddle to AFL and Rugby Union and League - and as shown in the 2022 race, none of those codes are going to make much in the way of compromises to give soccer a boost.

[intoronto]

Do you mean 2026 ? LOL

[Alexjc]

Agree with Rols...the previous bid attempt put Australia off for a very long time. The oval ball game, in all three versions, is the dominant player and Australia would probibly be more interested in bidding for an Olympic Games by the time (Fifa's) Asia's turn comes round again.

[Olympic Fan Darcy]

No way, the bid was such a fail and waste of money, no chance of getting it. We aren't a powerhouse at soccer tbh. We got 1 vote. We didn't make it 94, 98, 2002. 2006 we did alright. 2010 not so well. Our best is round of 16. We bid against people who have already hosted in past 20 years. USA 1994 and South korea and Japan 2002.

Although we are 23rd on fifa rankings and Korea is 28, Japan is better at 20, USA at 36. But that doesn't affect much but just comparing to the other bidders of 2022

[Blacksheep]

No way, the bid was such a fail and waste of money, no chance of getting it. We aren't a powerhouse at soccer tbh. We got 1 vote. We didn't make it 94, 98, 2002. 2006 we did alright. 2010 not so well. Our best is round of 16. We bid against people who have already hosted in past 20 years. USA 1994 and South korea and Japan 2002.

Although we are 23rd on fifa rankings and Korea is 28, Japan is better at 20, USA at 36. But that doesn't affect much but just comparing to the other bidders of 2022

1. FIFA went to Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 because they were new territories. With 2014 in South America, 2026 is ripe for bids from the USA and Australia, with the Aussies able to use the 'never held in Oceania before'

2. Qatar 2022 is not a power house, nor was South Africa 2010, nor South Korea or Japan in 2002.

3. South Korea proved in 2002 that smaller home nations can perform above average.

4. Unlike the US where 'soccer' will always be the fifth sport, Football has the chance to be just behind the NRL/AFL if probably encouraged by FIFA. I think the 2003 RWC encouraged enthusiasm for the union code in Australia with 2 new Super Rugby franchises being the result.

[Sir Rols]

1. FIFA went to Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 because they were new territories. With 2014 in South America, 2026 is ripe for bids from the USA and Australia, with the Aussies able to use the 'never held in Oceania before'

Except we aren't in the Oceania Football Confederation. We play in the Asian Confederation now. We aren't eligible to bid till 2034 now.

[Olympic Fan Darcy]

1. FIFA went to Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 because they were new territories. With 2014 in South America, 2026 is ripe for bids from the USA and Australia, with the Aussies able to use the 'never held in Oceania before'

2. Qatar 2022 is not a power house, nor was South Africa 2010, nor South Korea or Japan in 2002.

3. South Korea proved in 2002 that smaller home nations can perform above average.

4. Unlike the US where 'soccer' will always be the fifth sport, Football has the chance to be just behind the NRL/AFL if probably encouraged by FIFA. I think the 2003 RWC encouraged enthusiasm for the union code in Australia with 2 new Super Rugby franchises being the result.

Qatar was not picked for new region even me a supporter of Doha knows that they did not win the bid fair and square.
South Korea and Japan are a bigger powerhouse. South korea got 4th in 2002. Our best is one time round of 16. Didn't even qualify for 94 98 2002. Love Australia and they're may be a possibility but i'm not feeling it would have government backing

[Blacksheep]

Qatar was not picked for new region even me a supporter of Doha knows that they did not win the bid fair and square.
South Korea and Japan are a bigger powerhouse. South korea got 4th in 2002. Our best is one time round of 16. Didn't even qualify for 94 98 2002. Love Australia and they're may be a possibility but i'm not feeling it would have government backing

Before South Korea hosted the games in 2002 and had the home support that got them to 4th overall, what was their best performance in a World Cup?

They never made it out of the groups. The same goes for Japan. They had never made it out of the group stages before being a host in 2002

So in fact Australia are more of a soccer powerhouse as they have made it to the last 16 without homefield advantage.

[Olympic Fan Darcy]

Before South Korea hosted the games in 2002 and had the home support that got them to 4th overall, what was their best performance in a World Cup?

They never made it out of the groups. The same goes for Japan. They had never made it out of the group stages before being a host in 2002

So in fact Australia are more of a soccer powerhouse as they have made it to the last 16 without homefield advantage.

Either way we aren't that good at soccer. I personally would've advise a bid and i highly doubt they will but you can dream