After the voting to determine the host of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Zurich on Dec. 2, there was jubilation among footballers in Russia while in England dejection and second thoughts. Russia has won the off-field match and will host the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
England did not get out of the first of the three rounds of voting and after her early ouster, the remaining bids fought it out as Russia, the Spain/Portugal bid and the joint Belgium/Holland bid squared off in the second round. The Belgium/Holland bid was eliminated and Russia then outpointed Spain/Portugal to win the bid.
Meanwhile Qatar, in a surprise, beat out the U.S., Japan, South Korea and Australia for the 2022 bid. The 2014 World Cup will be held in Brazil.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter Supported Russian 2018 World Cup Bid
Sepp Blatter, who is under pressure due to numerous allegations of corruption in the FIFA inner-circle, including by some on the executive committee, supported the Russian bid all along. Before the voting took place however, he tried to mollify those who would come out the losers.
"We have had four bidders for 2018 and we can have only one winner," the told the media. "Three of the bidding associations must go home saying 'what a pity'. But they must say football is not only about winning but football is also a school of life where you learn to lose. That's not easy."
2018 English Bid Team Dejected
There are 22 votes on the FIFA executive committee and England managed two votes total, one from its own representative and the other, it is thought, from Japan. The England bid team, which included Gary Lineker, David Beckham, P.M. David Cameron and Prince William, was obviously disappointed and after hearing of their loss beat a hasty retreat to the back of the Hall in Zurich where voting was taking place.
The England team had been rocked by the BBC show Panorama's decision to air a documentary in the U.K. on Monday night that contained allegations against yet more FIFA executive committees members, saying they took bribes. The show also had fresh allegations against Jack Warner, CONCACAF president and a member of the executive committee.
England and Panorama May Investigate FIFA Ex. Co. Further
There is speculation now that Warner may have moved his block of votes, he had hinted that he would use them to vote for England, and moved them to Russia due to the documentary, though naturally Warner was saying nothing of the kind. Many in England, including Cameron, felt the timing of the airing of the Panorama program, coming as it did so close to the vote, was damaging to England's chances and felt that it should not have aired until after the voting process was complete.
With England having lost the vote it may be that those who were disappointed in the BBC decision to air the allegations will now support further investigation.
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