Despite being an early front-runner, the U.S. lost its bid to host the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, a nation of just 1.7 million people. Heather Wright/MNS
WASHINGTON – The U.S. lost its bid Thursday to host the 2022 World Cup, the second time in only 14 months that an attempt to bring an international sporting event to American soil has fallen flat.
The decision was a blow to the U.S. bid committee. Long considered a favorite, the U.S. was bested by Qatar, a small Arab country that has never even qualified for the World Cup tournament.
“Obviously, we’re disappointed,” said Sunil Galati, chairman of U.S. bid committee. “We put a lot of hard work in. We had a great bid and I think we’ve told a great story that is accurate about American soccer.”
In choosing a Middle Eastern country, FIFA is sending a strong message about the direction they wish to take the game.
“We are going to new lands,” said FIFA President Joseph ‘Sepp’ Blatter. “I am a happy president.”
Yesterday’s announcement, which also included the awarding of the 2018 World Cup to Russia, marks the end of a bid process that was mired in controversy.
Last month, undercover journalists for the British newspaper Sunday Times secretly filmed two members of FIFA’s executive committee allegedly offering to sell their votes. Amos Adamu of Nigeria and Reynald Temarii of Tahiti were both suspended by FIFA’s ethics panel. Despite promises of reform, corruption allegations poured out following Thursday’s announcement, as did conspiracy theories about the role oil played in the winning bids.
The Spanish newspaper El Mundo ran a headline Friday lamenting “The Power of Gas and Oil.” Its editorial described both the Russian and Qatari bids as “technically very weak” but boosted by “huge fortunes.”
It was no secret from the get-go that Qatar would need massive amounts of money to stage a World Cup. Only three of the proposed 12 stadiums are built, and even the existing ones require extensive renovations, including the installation of high-tech, outdoor air-conditioning systems necessary to combat the blistering summer heat, where temperatures can reach as high as 120 degrees.
When asked about corruption charges at a press conference following the bid, Galati was guarded in his response.
“This is an election. Do elections have fair results? As long as the elections are fair then you accept the results,” he said.
Ultimately, the U.S. bid didn’t seem to fit in with FIFA’s mission to continue to spread the game of soccer around the world. The sport is already one of the fastest growing sports in America, and FIFA is hoping they can replicate some of the grassroots success the 1994 World Cup had on the U.S. in both Russia and Qatar.