There were protests to this effect at the Confederations Cup earlier this summer...got quite hairy to, apparently;

BBC Sport - Confederations Cup: 39 injured & 30 arrests in Brazil protests

Really can't think why, as it says in the video, this world cup would cost more than the last 3 combined. I mean, fair enough, the Maracana needs renovating, but surely the infrastructure to host a tournament effectively is already there and doesn't need as much as this spent on it?

Then again, I'll admit I'm no expert, but it seems kinda odd to me.

I watched this girl a while back, and while it does suck and the people suffer, it happens every time, everywhere. Even at Eurovision in 2012 protestors outside the stadium in Baku were all beaten and arrested for voicing their opinions on the government destroying their homes to make room for the contest, and the world did not bat an eyelid. Not going to the World Cup is not going to affect the morons in leadership positions (who the people likely didn't choose) that are and always will be in it for money.

Must have been mental in Spain in 2010 miss P, I wanted Spain to win once it was them or the Netherlands.

Good point Astronomer, that sort of brings me on to Qatar. All the detail and intricacy that goes into these bids, stadiums, hotels, transport systems and so on... At no point did anyone turn round and say "hang on it might just be too hot to play football in the desert in June."

A country with just two existing stadiums actually won the World Cup bid. What a farce. England could host a World Cup at a week's notice, we have the best football stadiums, facilities, everything is already in place and we are a football nation, no better place to have one. Qatar ffs :D. It is being played in summer in 50+ degree heat (there is talk of building 10 new air conditioned stadiums for this ffs :D but that isn't a definite yet, either that or they are actually going to stop the world's football leagues and move the tournament to the winter ). Imagine the sh1t storm if a player collapses and dies out there? The fans are going to absolutely fhucking melt outside the stadiums, the Qataris themselves move out in the summer to cooler climates, you can't actually be outside in daytime in the summer there. There's talk of fans having to fly in from Dubai for every game :D.

And what if a player is out as gay by then, is he going to be deported or executed? Homosexuality is illegal there. Not only is it a backwards country it's just stupid on every level. There is no reason for it to go there, nobody will gain anything from having a World Cup in Qatar. It's such a blatant bribe to get it there, and yet feck all is being done about it.

The other bidders included England and Australia. And 2018 went to Russia :rolleyes:.

I agree Bulldog, its going to happen, you just know it :(. The equaliser that Montenegro got did it. Feels like 2008 again. And I agree, South Africa was piss poor and I'm not just saying that because I'm English.

Don't even get me started about Qatar 2022. The whole world can see that it just won't work whether it's held in the summer or the winter, why can't FIFA? Well, I guess that's kinda obvious really.

Russia was an odd choice for the world cup, but at least they actually have a footballing pedigree. Vladimir Beschastnyk, Lev Yashin, Oleg Salenko, Andrei Arshavin and Alexei Smertin - there, I just named 5 Russian players past or present off the top of my head in about 5 seconds. Without hitting wikipedia, I literally can't think of a single Qatari player.

England certainly didn't help, but the only games I remember being particularly exciting and memorable in South Africa were USA-Slovenia, Brazil-Netherlands and Germany-Uruguay. Compare that to the 2006 world cup alone when you had great, great matches like Germany-Italy, France-Italy, England-Sweden, Germany-Costa Rica, Netherlands-Portugal, USA-Italy and so many more genuinely memorable games. I was so looking forward to South Africa, as it turned out it was probably the biggest sporting letdown of my life.

Another Joe Hart special there. Best keeper in the league.

This is a piss take. Why can't the English fans inside Wembley make as much noise as the Scottish? This team is an embarrassment.

2-1 Scotland.

Welbeck 2-2 :cool:

Lambert :cool:

3-2 England.

Yeah, it seems odd to me, too. It's just a LOT of money to spend on a country that needs so much financial assistance in other areas, I can't imagine that it is going to cost THREE TIMES as much as the previous one! Ahh well, what can you do I guess. It's what the 'higher powers' choose to spend their money on, as sad as it is!

Over here in Melbourne, Australia our government spent $60 million on the Grand Prix yet they refused to give teachers a pay rise which would cost them $4 million at the end of it. It just sucks.

GOLAÇO 1º Gol do Galo, Ronaldinho Gaúcho: Atlético-MG 1 x 1 Fluminense - Série A Brasileiro 2013 - YouTube

Form is temporary, class is permanent. He will be 34 by the time the World Cup kicks off, I hope he keeps it up and is picked for next year, I want to see Ronaldinho in full flight on the big stage one more time.

Important qualifiers for England over the next week starting tomorrow. Usually international breaks piss people off, season never seems to get going but this year I don't mind as these are massive games from now.

Moldova at home (Fri) then Ukraine away (Wed)

We'll likely paste Moldova by 4 or 5 but the Ukraine game is 50/50 at best. Lose there and we've all but failed to qualify imo. That equaliser in Montenegro has done us I reckon.

Then Poland & Montenegro at home in October are the last two games. So qualification rests on this Ukraine game on Wednesday in my opinion, their fixture tomorrow is at home to San Marino which they will win by a cricket score.

EDIT - Misspoptart tickets are now on sale for the games btw, if you're planning on catching a game I'd get them now as they will cost a bomb once you're over there more than likely. Ballot/apply for as many as you can even if you can't afford them as not all will be successful. If you end up with more than you need you will be able to tout them outside the ground for several times their face value (if you have no problem doing this.)

Can apply anytime between now and beginning of October.

This is just the first of 3 stages of ticket applications. So you will have two more opportunities if you are unsuccessful with this round.

Also there is much, much less demand for tickets in the North, you'll see more games there.

i dont follow soccer or really like it but world cup is always a good time for a bunch of ppl to fill the bars and watch soccer and get hammered so i love world cup!!!!!!!!!

The World Cup > any other sporting event including the Olympics and Super Bowl.

This one is going to be a belter :cool:.