northernspirit
Well-Known Member
http://www.theage.com.au/news/soccer/world-cup-bid/2008/02/23/1203467459939.html?page=2
The Australian Government will today officially launch its bid for the world's biggest party the 2018 soccer World Cup.
The cup is the largest event in world sport, attracting an audience of roughly half the world's population and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd believes Australia can win it.
"Winning the right to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup is a herculean task, but overcoming tough odds is what Australian football does best," Mr Rudd said yesterday.
The World Cup is played every four years, with the next tournament to be played in South Africa in 2010.
Australia's chances will be enhanced by the scrapping of FIFA's controversial "hosting rotation policy" after the 2014 tournament.
Each of the Federation Internationale de Football Association's (FIFA) 208 member countries will get a vote on who hosts the World Cup.
The Football Federation of Australia (FFA) will soon lodge a formal national bid with FIFA, and the bid will have the full co-operation of the Commonwealth, state and territory governments.
Brendan McClements, chief executive of Victorian Major Events Company, said the MCG would be the natural home for the final.
"That's a question for the FFA," he said. "I think the MCG has got strong claims. Even if it's not the final, there are many elements of a World Cup that can offer value, from the opening of the games through the hosting rounds. You can really get some exciting parts of the tournament and Melbourne would host them brilliantly."
The AFL and NRL seasons would have to be suspended for at least five weeks to accommodate the competition.
England, China, Russia, a joint Netherlands/Belgium bid, the US and Mexico are among the early rivals to Australia, with England already installed as favourite.
According to some estimates, just to reach the preselection stage will cost about $30 million. But it will be a massive boost to tourism and job creation. The next World Cup is expected to create more than 150,000 jobs in South Africa.
FFA chief executive Ben Buckley said the organisation had already commenced planning by conducting an audit of Australia's readiness to stage an event of its size and complexity. The study, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, is focusing on stadiums, training facilities, accommodation, public transport and other infrastructure requirements.
"We are moving early to position ourselves for a successful bid outcome," he said.
Australia's bid already has the backing of powerful Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed bin Hammam, who said last November that he wanted only one Asian bid for the 2018 World Cup, and he would be "happy" if it came from its newest member, Australia.
"I think we will fight as a confederation to host 2018," he said. "But the idea is to have one bid, and then everyone getting behind that bid."
The cost of the bid will be shared between the Australian Government, state and territory governments and the FFA.
Mr Rudd said that to achieve this national support, the Federal Government would put Australia's 2018 FIFA World Cup bid on the March Council of Australian Governments agenda.
"As the host country for the 2018 FIFA World Cup is likely to be announced in 2011, the Government is keen to see Australia's bid kick off as soon as possible," Mr Rudd said.
Mr Rudd said Australia with its reputation for excellence in sport on and off the field, including hosting the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, the 2003 Rugby World Cup and the 2006 Commonwealth Games had proved it was a nation that could deliver the world's best events. As part of its preparation for the 2018 bid, Australia is already preparing to host the 2015 Asian Cup.
"The FIFA World Cup is the world's largest sporting event," he said.
"The 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany attracted 3.35 million spectators, including 2 million visitors from overseas.
"The event was broadcast to 214 countries and watched by a cumulative TV audience of more than 2.6 billion people."
If successful, matches would be held across the country at existing venues such as the MCG and Telstra Dome in Melbourne, ANZ Stadium and Sydney Football Stadium in Sydney, and Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, and the recently announced new stadium for Perth.
Hosting the World Cup would be "a natural follow-on from the brilliant performance of the Socceroos at the 2006 World Cup and the success of the A-League," Mr Rudd said.
Support for soccer is growing in Australia, where the sport has around about 450,000 registered participants.
Senior AFL executives would not comment on the bid yesterday until they had seen more details.
The Australian Government will today officially launch its bid for the world's biggest party the 2018 soccer World Cup.
The cup is the largest event in world sport, attracting an audience of roughly half the world's population and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd believes Australia can win it.
"Winning the right to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup is a herculean task, but overcoming tough odds is what Australian football does best," Mr Rudd said yesterday.
The World Cup is played every four years, with the next tournament to be played in South Africa in 2010.
Australia's chances will be enhanced by the scrapping of FIFA's controversial "hosting rotation policy" after the 2014 tournament.
Each of the Federation Internationale de Football Association's (FIFA) 208 member countries will get a vote on who hosts the World Cup.
The Football Federation of Australia (FFA) will soon lodge a formal national bid with FIFA, and the bid will have the full co-operation of the Commonwealth, state and territory governments.
Brendan McClements, chief executive of Victorian Major Events Company, said the MCG would be the natural home for the final.
"That's a question for the FFA," he said. "I think the MCG has got strong claims. Even if it's not the final, there are many elements of a World Cup that can offer value, from the opening of the games through the hosting rounds. You can really get some exciting parts of the tournament and Melbourne would host them brilliantly."
The AFL and NRL seasons would have to be suspended for at least five weeks to accommodate the competition.
England, China, Russia, a joint Netherlands/Belgium bid, the US and Mexico are among the early rivals to Australia, with England already installed as favourite.
According to some estimates, just to reach the preselection stage will cost about $30 million. But it will be a massive boost to tourism and job creation. The next World Cup is expected to create more than 150,000 jobs in South Africa.
FFA chief executive Ben Buckley said the organisation had already commenced planning by conducting an audit of Australia's readiness to stage an event of its size and complexity. The study, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, is focusing on stadiums, training facilities, accommodation, public transport and other infrastructure requirements.
"We are moving early to position ourselves for a successful bid outcome," he said.
Australia's bid already has the backing of powerful Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed bin Hammam, who said last November that he wanted only one Asian bid for the 2018 World Cup, and he would be "happy" if it came from its newest member, Australia.
"I think we will fight as a confederation to host 2018," he said. "But the idea is to have one bid, and then everyone getting behind that bid."
The cost of the bid will be shared between the Australian Government, state and territory governments and the FFA.
Mr Rudd said that to achieve this national support, the Federal Government would put Australia's 2018 FIFA World Cup bid on the March Council of Australian Governments agenda.
"As the host country for the 2018 FIFA World Cup is likely to be announced in 2011, the Government is keen to see Australia's bid kick off as soon as possible," Mr Rudd said.
Mr Rudd said Australia with its reputation for excellence in sport on and off the field, including hosting the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, the 2003 Rugby World Cup and the 2006 Commonwealth Games had proved it was a nation that could deliver the world's best events. As part of its preparation for the 2018 bid, Australia is already preparing to host the 2015 Asian Cup.
"The FIFA World Cup is the world's largest sporting event," he said.
"The 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany attracted 3.35 million spectators, including 2 million visitors from overseas.
"The event was broadcast to 214 countries and watched by a cumulative TV audience of more than 2.6 billion people."
If successful, matches would be held across the country at existing venues such as the MCG and Telstra Dome in Melbourne, ANZ Stadium and Sydney Football Stadium in Sydney, and Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, and the recently announced new stadium for Perth.
Hosting the World Cup would be "a natural follow-on from the brilliant performance of the Socceroos at the 2006 World Cup and the success of the A-League," Mr Rudd said.
Support for soccer is growing in Australia, where the sport has around about 450,000 registered participants.
Senior AFL executives would not comment on the bid yesterday until they had seen more details.
