Soccer’s world governing body FIFA is reviewing its plan to hold a dual tender for hosting rights to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, Matt Scott reports.
A quarter of the 24 members on FIFA’s powerful executive committee last month questioned the plan. They said that, with the vote set for March 2011, deciding the destination of a tournament 11 years in advance was unjustifiable. FIFA’s new public affairs director Hans Klaus said Wednesday: “We will examine this very carefully. You have to have within FIFA two years for a proper briefing for the World Cup.”
Preparations for the dual bid have been ongoing for the past two years already, but might be scuppered by a vote next month in Tokyo, or possibly at the start of next year, writes Scott. “FIFA insiders warned that although it intends an official launch [for the bidding process] in Tokyo, the terms of reference might still not be ready until the new year. That would put bidding nations’ strategies and political deals into disarray.”