Russia is to host the 2018 World Cup, FIFA bosses decided at a meeting in Zurich on Thursday. In contrast, the much smaller - but extremely wealthy - Qatar will host the 2022 event.
The voting for the 2018 World Cup followed a set of final presentations by the four contenders: Russia, England and the two joint bids from Spain-Portugal and from the Low Countries, Holland and Belgium.
Russia's final plea pointed out that eastern Europe has never previously hosted the World Cup. "Twenty one years ago the Berlin Wall was broken," Russia's Sports Minister Vitali Mutko told his 21 fellow members of FIFA's executive committee, "Today we can break another symbolic wall and open a new era in football together."
"Russia represents new horizons for FIFA, millions of new hearts and minds, and a great legacy after the World Cup, great new stadiums and millions of boys and girls embracing the game. Russia's economy is large and growing, and Russia's sports market is developing markedly."
And of course, Russia has earmarked virtually unlimited resources for the event. Its budget will exceed the one billion euros allocated to the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Disappointment
The outcome of the vote came as a great disappointment for Ruud Gullit and the rest of the Holland-Belgium bid.
The two countries had sent football legends such as Johan Cruijff, Guus Hiddink, Paul van Himst and Jean-Marie Pfaff to Zurich as well as their two prime ministers, but to no avail.
The Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte was quick to wish Russia the very best with its victory in the race to host the World Cup:
"Unfortunately, our bid for 2018 hasn't made it. In sport, there can only be one winner: Russia, congratulations!"
Qatar 2022
Shortly after the announcement of Russia as the successful bidder for 2018, FIFA President Sepp Blatter opened another envelope, which revealed that the small, oil-rich Gulf state of Qatar will host the 2022 championship. It will be the first Arab nation to host the event.
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Never mind! Holland should focus now on bringing the World Cup home...;)...
Happy Sinterklaas Day!
Never mind! Holland should now focus on bringing the World Cup home..;)...
Happy Sinterklaas Day!
Oh, please we just had the World Cup in Europe (Germany) (the neigbours of the Netherlands) in 2006 and all you people are screaming corrupt. It's only fair to take the world cup to the WORLD, not just Western Europe and America most of the times.
Corrupt Fifa goes with corrupt Russia. It could have been corrupt USA! At least it was not corrupt Britain.
And yes, LaC, Marco van Basten was good, but Cruyff and Gullit were better
They've done their utmost to clinch the bid. Shame it wasn't good enough. Now, let's hope Belgium or Holland win the tournament in Russia...
MARCO VAN BASTEN Best player ever. I tell yu play well. But TANYA is much better.
Don' try to foolish me. Don't Be conffuse by the goods that I got.
The Russian selection it's a matter of money, power and popularity.
To select Qatar, it is actually to approve Iran. So World cup 2022 TEHERAN.
And let's recall. WC 2010 south Africa. WC 2014 Brazil. WC 2018 Russia. WC 2022 Teheran
by my bro Qatar (Uruguay's bro and Venezuela's brother in arms by OPEC).
CLINTON AND BUSH must be crying right now, why why, it cant' be.
better luck Next time!
Oh dear!!!....
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