Football’s Coming Home. Hopefully.

January 28th, 2009 | by: Daryl |

It’s official. We’ve sent FIFA a letter saying “we want to host World Cup 2018 please” and FIFA have sent one back saying “we have received your letter.”

[Do these people not know about the internet? You can send letters on your computer now you know.]

I’m already a little nervous about our World Cup bid, given how gigantically we’ve managed to screw up in the past. We got what we deserved in 2006 for trying to stab Germany in the back, so no complaints here. I just hope the international football community can forget that unpleasant incident and vote for us in 2018.

Because, really, it’s about time. Isn’t it?

Official rivals for the bid (meaning these bids have also sent letters to FIFA) are currently:

Japan
Qatar
Russia
Spain & Portugal (joint bid)
Indonesia (no, really).

But there are probably bids coming from USA, Australia, China, Mexico, Benelux (work it out) and maybe even Canada in the next few days.

Deadline for bids is February 2nd, 2009 (this coming Monday).

England Football Team World Cup Blog RSS Feed

http://Turkey.worldcupblog.org James

ahh cmon turkey bid for it
http://littlemissdiana.blogspot.com diana

Daryl, I am with you on the Indonesia part. It just almost want to make me scratch my head. I know as someone like myself coming from Singapore and Indonesia actually is just down south of us…I had already more or less expected from the Asian zone, Japan, Australia and to some extent South Korea (which they did sent in a bid to FIFA) throwing themselves into the hat. But Indonesia? It just left me baffled. I know they co-hosted the AFF Suzuki Cup last year with Thailand but…I am still trying to wonder why it happened in the first place. Not that I am dissing them actually.

I supposed you are aware China did not make a bid given the deadline has already been closed.

Anyhow, not sure how much we should take what UEFA President Michel Platini was saying that the World Cup should come back to Europe every third time… it will be between England, Russia, Benelux plus Spain/Portugal. That is if Platini has its way, be in Europe. But since Sepp Blatter seemed to be hinting that FIFA will prioritise single bids over the joint ones…who knows what may happen.

What Platini was saying – http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/09/02/05/SOCCER_Platini.html&TEAMHD=soccer

Anyhow, I am aware of what happened in the race to host the 2006 version but stil, like what you said Daryl…it’s about time. Excluding Euro ‘96, it is a long, long time already. One thing is for sure, we can only hope England don’t screw up in the bid this time.