USA robbed of World Cup 2022

You'd think they won it already.

The State of Qatar, a small Arab country the size of Connecticut but with half the population, with plans to host the world's largest sporting event within a 40-mile radius in 120-degree summer heat, handily beat out the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Australia to host the '22 World Cup, by what turned out to be a landslide.

It took them until the final round of voting to obtain an absolute majority over the US, but they pulled it off.  The 22 ExComm members decided to risk it for the sake of international growth, Middle Eastern exposure, what have you.  Qatar kicked everyone's ass in all rounds of voting.  We didn't stand a chance.

I'm not sure it's right (yet) to question the cleanliness and legality of what happens behind closed doors before the voting.  Nigeria and Tahiti both saw important executives banned from the sport a few weeks ago over voting bribes, and the BBC has told us this week that this is not a new phenomenon.  However, I would love to learn in the coming days the reasons why the Qatari walked away with the bid so easily.

I assumed Japan and Korea wouldn't get it, seeing as there would have been a mere 20-year gap between tournaments in either nation.  Australia, while the sport has grown wildly since their new league started five years ago and boasting a dangerously talented national team, probably couldn't show the money, infrastructure, or support required to beat out some heavy hitters.

Voting-wise, it was the US vs. four Asian federations.  Of the 22 ExComm members who haven't been denounced as human beings, three come from CONCACAF, four from the AFC.  The US and Qatar were both represented.  The other 15 bodies have no genuine interest, because their nations or confederations aren't competing for the bid. At least ten of the 22 voted for Qatar in all four rounds.  Blows my fucking mind.  I'm missing something.

Desecration of the trophy.

I understand that the tiny little shit of a country has a ton of money.  Financially, they will have zero problem paying for what they need to pull this thing off 12 years from now.  I just don't know if it's physically possible.  They have little room to work with, and plan to play in 12 different stadiums (seven of which don't exist yet, the rest need to be renovated).  I can't imagine the event actually fitting there.  Drinking alcohol outside of closed doors is nationally forbidden (although they promise reserved spaces to do so).  They have a typical Arab stance on women (which obviously is a matter of religion and such, but can you imagine Burqas being ripped off in the midst of a mob of wasted Dutchmen?).  And their national team?  Currently ranked 113th in the world, 16th in Asia (a confederation recently given just 4 1/2 spots to the World Cup).  And you thought North Korea was bad.

It's a shame.  The growth potential in the US is definitely the largest.  We have the money and the political backing.  When you think about the unbelievable things it could do for the state of the sport here, it's pure torture to lose out on that chance.  It's different now then it was in 1994.  The pros of winning the bid would far outweigh those that came to fruition 16 years ago.

And now we sit, hoping for another shot at the best thing that could happen to American soccer, short of winning it all.

Congrats to the Russians for bagging 2018.  I thought Spain/Portugal had it for sure, but today's been full of surprises, I guess.

I'm off to Bertucci's to drown my sorrows.

CONCACAF Gold Cup

After surviving the final group stage and reaching the semifinals of the Caribbean Championship--Cuba, Grenada, Jamaica, and non-FIFA Guadeloupe will all be joining the Yanks in next summer's Gold Cup.  However, Cuba failed to field a team last year, so if it happens again, Trinidad might have a shot at escaping their current embarrassment.