OT - FIFA Corruption Update: Fox Got A Cheap No-bid Rights Deal to Avert Lawsuit
FIFA gave Fox Sports the rights to the 2026 World Cup without soliciting bids. Apparently, FIFA did this knowing it was lighting money on fire to avoid getting sued by Fox for moving the Qatar World Cup to late fall.
It is, of course, perfectly reasonable for Fox, which is heavily invested in American football, to be unhappy with a World Cup in November and December. So FIFA basically bought them off to avoid more serious questions.
The Qatar World Cup continues to be an all-time ethics meltdown.
keeps increasing. If the current diplomatic crisis in the ME between Qatar and its neighbors isn't resolved peacefully in the next 12 months or so, they may be forced to move it.
Yes, their prospects for making this World Cup a success are going straight down the Qatar!
then I imagine that FIFA will ignore the regional "rules" they've been using to award hosting rights (the so-called rotation) and just award it to the most readily developed area. I could see either a US emergency bid, or even an award to the entire "EU as host nation" with games spread out between Spain, France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy. It'd be easier with the EU transit rules, worries about late booking crowds and such would be mitigated if it's spread between 3 -5 land connected countries, and it'd kind of be a middle finger to the UK for Brexit (which I imagine the Euro's and others would unite behind to support). Plus think of all the bribes that could be generated if you got Italy's, Spain's, France's, and Germany's football associations combining forces!
They really need to move it to the US. Can you imagine World Cup matches at The Big House?!?
The only chance we have of hosting a major world event (i.e. Olympics, World Cup, etc) is if create a time machine and go back about a year before we alientated about 95% of the world.
You kinda have to represent yourself as inclusive and welcoming to host a world event. Can't say we check off any of those boxes as of late.
Not saying Qatar is any better at the moment, but if the World Cup goes anywhere, there is 0% chance it comes here.
The fact that it is currently in Qatar kinda spits in the face of this argument. Its only about money. That's all FIFA cares about.
Sorry, very valid point. I meant to preface with "if you ignore bribes, shady deals & general FIFA lack of ethics, then the following guidelines apply..."
Russia, Qatar and asian countries are so accpeting of diverse backgrounds. Not.
Actually the 2026 WC US-CAN-MEX joint bid really has no other bid to run against at this time. Europe and Asia cannot bid due to 2018/2022. South America has thier hearts set on 2030 (100th anniversary).
2022 really should stay in the Asian Football Confederation. Either in China or Austrailia.
But the US is hosting most of it including the championship game. It is almost a done deal that the North American bid is winning the 2026 World Cup.
the template for future wins. Multiple border countries in a region providing joint resources as well as cover for focusing on a particular singular country's perceived blemishes on the world stage.
Shush! Don't foil his propaganda-fueled Trump bashing with obvious truths.
There's no way they'll move it unless something extremely serious and unrelated happens. Like a war or political upheaval. FIFA would be admitting guilt and they won't do that. Unless Infantino wants to completely burn the organization down. Blatter is gone, but tons of people are involved and would all be guilty.
The real crime here is having to listen to the vapid Alexi Lalas call World Cup games. That must be a Geneva Convention violation, right?
RIGHT?
Yeah, the Confederation Cup coverage is almost unwatchable with its bizarre star wars bar scene crew of arrogant assholes (Lalas, Wynalda, etc.) and that Mexican moderator who is a non-stop skirt-chaser constantly building a sexual harrassment lawsuit against himself (assuming he stays in LA)!
Honestly.....I don't really call that corruption. FIFA's not a public entity, they can have no-bid contracts. They made a huge concession to avert a lawsuit they probably would've lost. "I won't sue you for breaking a contract" sounds to me like legitimate leverage in a negotiation, not bribery.
Good clarification. What they've done is not illegal; it is simply bad business. It is a clear demonstration that FIFA's decision to go to Qatar was not only against the interests of important constituents and the sport as a whole, but also against its own interests as well. Pretty sure sign that the interests being served by a WC in Qatar are not legitimate ones.
"The NCAA was so mad at FIFA, that they gave Liga MX the death penalty."
FIFA is a mess. None of this surprises me.
I think Alexi Lalas disagrees with people just to disagree with people.
It was probably Russia's fault.
'2026 WC US-CAN-MEX "
I'm curious about this. Does that mean there won't be any qualifying rounds for CONCACAF for that world cup? Since CONCACAF is only awarded 3.5 spots for the world cup would they basically just say "sorry everybody else!"
Ahh I believe you're right.
BARF. Just barf. Its so corrupt, its disgusting