While Brazil has the 2014 WORLD CUP, the race for WORLD CUP 2018 begins
Brazil has already won the war to host the FIFA World Cup of 2014. It will be the 20th World Cup and as expected, it will commence between the months of June and July in 2014.
Now the race to bid for hosting the World Cup in 2018 is coming closer too. Only this Thursday, Australia pulled out of the competition to host the 2018 Cup. They excused by saying that that instead wanted to focus on the next tournament to be held in the year 2022.
This has left a major change at the table of the bidders. The conclusion made by FIFA and Football Federation Australia has left the Untied States of America to encounter four competitors - all hailing from Europe.
The countries now looking for the hosting the World Cup rights include: United States of America, Belgium and Netherlands, England, Russia and Spain and Portugal. This happens to be one of toughest line-up for bids yet and it is expected that they all will force each other to their nails to host the World Cup of 2018.
The official spokesman from the bidding committee stated, “their announcement of today to henceforth focus solely on bidding for the 2022 World Cup is a welcome gesture that is much appreciated by FIFA’s leadership and executive committee”.
FFA Chairman Frank Lowy later confirmed that the Australians had been in contact with FIFA for months about withdrawing from the race. The main reason for such a move was that in general, there was lack of preparation on Australia’s behalf.
As far as the World Cup of 2014 is concerned, preparations had begun all long time back. This will be Brazil’s second time to host a World Cup. Brazil hosted its first World Cup in 1950. Now Brazil is the fifth country to have hosted the World Cup twice. The other four are Italy, France, Germany and Mexico.
This will be the first time since 1978 that a country is hosting the World Cup in South America. The 1978 World Cup was held in Argentina and was won by Argentina. Brazil, the five time World Champions have won the title the most number of times. Not only that, but they have won it on most continents too. Their last victory came in 2002 when the tournament was hosted by Korea and Japan.
This is also the first time that that the tournament is being consecutively held in the Southern Hemisphere in the last 8 years. Brazil also happens to be the one which breaks the tradition of European countries hosting the World Cup after every 8 years.
Brazil got the rights to host the Cup on 30th October 2007 after a brief encounter with Colombia. Colombia later withdrew explaining that instead they will be hosting the 2011 FIFA under-20 World Cup.
Eventually Brazil became out on top as the sole country to enter the bid and in the end got the vote from everyone to host the Cup. In a surprise move, first-time World Cup winners Uruguay remained quite on the matter. The first World Cup was held under controversial circumstance in 1930 by Uruguay who went on to win it. Uruguay is the only country to have not defended the title in the next event.
There was good news for the Brazilians as the Selecao stars are enthusiastically preparing to win this World Cup and then go back home, wait for four years and take advantage of the home ground to defend their title. The strategy is clear but the way the team is progressing, Brazilian coach Dunga and his men certainly have the capability to achieve this.
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