With the voting complete, we can now look forward to 3 more FIFA World Cups outside of the economic power-bases of Western Europe, North America, and Asia. This follows, of course, FIFA's first-ever World Cup adventure in Africa earlier this year.
We will be witness to tournaments held in locales that, it seems, could not be more different.
Brazil, the host for the upcoming 2014 edition, conjures up images of beach soccer, the samba, and its joyous, rhythmic spectators. The team that has epitomized the beautiful game for decades will, however, want to erase the memory of Uruguay's stunning upset the last time Brazil hosted the tournament back in 1950. Already the preparation in the country is underway as the government cleans up, one after another, the drug-infested favelas of Rio de Janeiro. All of this done not, apparently, for the safety of its inhabitants but for the benefit of World Cup (and subsequently Olympic) visitors.
Russia, picked over the reigning champion Spain and the hard-luck England amongst others, will host the 2018 tournament. In contrast to the Brazilians' sun(ny) image, the Russians embody dogged resistance and romanticism of a very different sort. That may not have been real snow or even real Moscow in Doctor Zhivago -- most of the movie was filmed in Spain -- but it sure FELT like Russia. On the field, it will be looking for its first World Cup title. Underachievers at the world's biggest tournament, Russia did, however, win the European Championship in 1960 as the USSR (finishing as runners-up in the same tournament on 3 other occasions).
Qatar was the surprise pick to host the tournament 4 years later. The USA, unfortunately for me, was not selected (click here for details). Although it is foolish to try to predict 12 years into the future, I am going out on a limb -- you heard it here first -- to state that Qatar will not win the 2022 World Cup. Unlike Brazil and Russia, who will each be amongst the favorites to win in their own stadia, Qatar will be prohibitive underdogs. The country did host FIFA's AFC Asian Cup in 1988 but has little pedigree in the world's game. However, by all accounts, the game is staggeringly popular throughout the Middle East and the country's infrastructure is, reputedly, top notch. I have heard speculation that games will be played in temperatures of 50-degrees celsius/122-degrees farenheit...on the desert sand! (OK, I made up the part about the sand.)
The contrasts in the tournament hosts is fascinating. It should also be a bonanza for the frequent-flier miles collecting football fan.
