[World Cup] Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022

[jifortin]

Originally Posted by Eric Cantona

Semoga Indonesia lolos piala dunia 2018 Rusia dan piala dunia 2022 Qatar....

Amiiin, semoga didengar sama om roy suryo ya bro

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Qatar World Cup chiefs deny fresh corruption claims surrounding 2022 bid

Qatar World Cup chiefs have reacted to new claims surrounding the 2022 World Cup bid by insisting they adhered to all FIFA's rules.

The Daily Telegraph has claimed it has seen details of payments from a company owned by Qatari Mohamed Bin Hammam to fellow former FIFA member Jack Warner, from the Caribbean.

The two men's FIFA careers ended in disgrace after they were caught up in a corruption scandal surrounding Bin Hammam's campaign for the presidency of the world governing body in 2011.

A spokesman for Qatar's 2022 World Cup organising committee told the Telegraph: 'The 2022 bid committee strictly adhered to FIFA's bidding regulations in compliance with their code of ethics.

'The supreme committee for delivery and legacy and the individuals involved in the 2022 bid committee are unaware of any allegations surrounding business dealings between private individuals.'


Controversy: Former FIFA chiefs Mohamed bin Hammam, right, and Jack Warner


Close up: Warner sits next to FIFA President Michel Platini during the 2022 host announcement

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2583063/Qatar-World-Cup-chiefs-deny-fresh-corruption-claims-surrounding-2022-bid.html

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Plot thickens over FIFA member Warner's 2022 World Cup vote

Disgraced former FIFA executive member Jack Warner is widely believed to have voted for the United States to host the 2022 World Cup despite allegedly receiving huge payments from a Qatar company.

Documents appear to show Warner and family members were paid £1.2million by a firm controlled by the equally discredited Qatari Mohamed Bin Hammam, former Asian Football Confederation chief, shortly after the controversial Zurich vote in December 2010.


Plot: Jack Warner is believed to have voted for USA to host the 2022 World Cup


Prize: Qatar were awarded the right to host the 2022 World Cup in Zurich four years ago

But those involved in that unseemly World Cup bidding campaign are convinced that CONCACAF chief Warner supported the United States — part of the North, Central American and Caribbean confederation — in the secret 2022 World Cup ballot, with Qatar beating the USA 14-8 in the final round.

Warner and Bin Hammam, both banned from football for life after the bribes scandal around Bin Hammam’s aborted bid for the FIFA presidency in 2011, have been close for years, with Warner often taking big entourages to Asian confederation meetings.

Bin Hammam is also understood to have financially supported the CONCACAF regime and the new money trail is more likely to have been associated with Warner backing Bin Hammam’s failed attempt to usurp FIFA overlord Blatter than with the Qatar vote.

Although conspiracy theorists will not discount Warner taking Bin Hammam’s cash for working to persuade other less conflicted FIFA executive voters to back Qatar’s bid.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-2583851/CHARLES-SALE-Plot-thickens-Warners-2022-World-Cup-vote.html

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Scandal-hit Qatar World Cup to be probed by FIFA with executive committee members set for questioning over controversial vote

FIFA's chief investigator Michael Garcia is to interview all the remaining members of the executive committee who took part in the controversial vote for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Only 11 of the 24 members - plus FIFA president Sepp Blatter - who took part in the vote in December 2010 are still on the committee, with the others having either retired or, in some cases, been banned or resigned while under investigation.

Garcia, a US attorney who is the head of the investigatory chamber of FIFA's ethics committee, is understood to be in Zurich this week ahead of a two-day executive committee meeting on Thursday and Friday.

Last September, Garcia said his probe into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups would see investigators interview representatives of every bid team - interviews have already taken place with a number of officials who worked on England's unsuccessful 2018 bid.

Sources connected to the world governing body say Garcia is now to interview those 12 executive committee members who are still in office, and that is expected to include Blatter.

It is expected the interviews will focus on the bidding process and look into any allegations of wrongdoing and breach of bidding rules including collusion between bids.

It comes after a report that the FBI is investigating payments from a company owned by Qatari Mohamed Bin Hammam to fellow former FIFA member Jack Warner and his family. Both men left FIFA in disgrace following a 2011 corruption scandal.

Meanwhile, the former head of Australia's unsuccessful bid for the 2022 tournament said he hoped the investigation would come up with 'the right answers'.

Frank Lowy said he still hoped FIFA would refund the £25million public money spent on the Australian bid if FIFA moves the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to the winter.

Lowy told Australian media: 'It is generally known ... that the process was not exactly a good one, to say the least.

'I've read the papers and while I would not use the word 'corruption', I think the process wasn't quite clear to everybody and the jury is still out.

'It was not a level playing field and I said at the time that we had not heard the last word about the process.

'I still don't think it is going to go away. These stories are coming up from time to time and until FIFA makes the final decision it will regurgitate each time.'

In terms of a winter World Cup, Lowy added: 'I feel if FIFA changes the date, then I think they hope to refund the people that bid on a certain time (in the summer).

'Whether we get the money back or not is hard to say, but I certainly put the claim in.'

Qatar's 2022 World Cup organising committee said its bid committee strictly adhered to FIFA's bidding regulations.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2584726/Scandal-hit-Qatar-World-Cup-probed-FIFA-executive-committee-members-set-questioning-controversial-vote.html

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Qatar officials to meet FIFA investigator as corruption claims over 2018 and 2022 World Cups intensify

* FIFA chief investigator Michael Garcia carrying out independent inquiry
* No swift conclusion expected, not before 2014 World Cup
* Sunday Times claims make up allegations
* Greg Dyke admits if evidence is true an election re-run may be needed

The man heading investigations into alleged corruption surrounding the bid process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will meet Qatari officials in Oman on Monday.

The independent inquiry by FIFA’s chief investigator Michael Garcia has taken on extra significance after further claims over the weekend about the scale of secret payments that helped Qatar win the World Cup. Prior to the latest revelations, FIFA were hoping the New York lawyer’s report would have been completed before the start of the World Cup in Brazil.

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke wanted a swift conclusion so there was no shadow hanging over the 2014 tournament which kicks off next week.


Allegations: Mohammed Bin Hammam is at the centre of the claims, with FIFA investigating the 2022 World Cup

But there now seems no hope of that happening as documents obtained by the Sunday Times have thrown the world governing body into chaos.

The newspaper claims that Qatari Mohamed bin Hammam, the former FIFA vice-president, used slush funds from 10 private company accounts to make dozens of payments in return for votes. The allegations include:

* Payments of up to $200,000 into accounts controlled by presidents of 30 African football associations.
* Bin Hamman channelled more than $1.6million into accounts controlled by Trinidad and Tobago Exco member Jack Warner.
* He entertained the president of the Confederation of African Football in Doha.
* Lavish junkets were organised across Africa, where Bin Hamman handed out almost $400,000 in cash with the promise of more pay-outs.
* He funnelled $800,000 to the Ivory Coast FA with funds from FIFA’s goal programme.

On Sunday, calls for a re-vote came from within FIFA’s own organisation, with vice-president Jim Boyce saying he would support such a move should corruption allegations be proven.

In an interview with the BBC, Boyce said: ‘I would have no problem if the recommendation was for a re-vote.

‘If Garcia reports that wrongdoing happened for the 2022 vote then it has to be looked at very seriously.’


Reserving judgement: FA chairman Greg Dyke says if corruption allegations are proven the 2022 bidding process needs to start again

MILLIONS ON WEAH SCHOOL FEES

Among the alleged payments made by Mohammed bin Hammam were
£30,000 for ‘school fees’ for Liberian-born former Man City striker George Weah – FIFA’s world player of the year in 1995.

£48,000 to Zambian FA president Kalusha Bwalya for ‘FA and personal expenditure’.

£31,500 to Fadoul Houssein, of the Djibouti FA, for an ‘expensive course of medical treatment for his general secretary’ and an all-expenses luxury trip to Saudi Arabia.

£36,000 for a ‘car to travel to football projects’ for ex-Gambian FA boss Seedy Kinteh.

£480,000 to the Ivory Coast FA as part of a Fifa development scheme.£120,000 in cash to 25 delegates flown to Kuala Lumpur to discuss the bid in 2008.

£30,000 to Sao Tome FA president Manuel Dende, who asked for £138,000 for ‘football pitches’ to be paid into his personal account.

FA chairman Greg Dyke said: ‘Some of this evidence, on the face of it, is quite compelling. If the evidence is there that the process is corrupt, then obviously the process has to be looked at again.'

Dyke reiterated this stance in a Monday morning interview on BBC Radio Five Live: 'I think my instinct is that it's very serious, the evidence is pretty comprehensive and there will need to be a full investigation and decisions taken.

'It is pretty clear there was a serious attempt made to interfere with the process of awarding the 2022 World Cup.

'FIFA has to sort this out, to do their investigation. If there was corruption involved, the process [of awarding the World Cup] has to be re-run.'

FIFA’s communications department directed all media enquiries to Garcia and ‘the office of the chairman of the Independent Ethics Committee’.

Qatar’s World Cup bid committee issued a statement. It said: ‘Following today’s newspaper articles, we vehemently deny all allegations of wrong-doing.

'We will take whatever steps are necessary to defend the bid’s integrity. The right to host the tournament was won because it was the best bid and because it is time for the Middle East to host its first FIFA World Cup.’

But the Sunday Times report claims 65-year-old Bin Hammam was lobbying on Qatar’s behalf at least a year before the decision to award the country hosting rights.

In the past Qatar, and indeed FIFA, have insisted any such activity by Bin Hammam has centred around his attempt to secure votes for the 2011 FIFA presidential election, when he intended to stand against Sepp Blatter. He withdrew before the election.

Back in July 2011 Bin Hammam was banned from football for life after being found guilty of bribery. The ban was annulled a year later by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which said there was insufficient evidence to support the punishment.

But FIFA then issued a second life ban in December 2012 for ‘conflicts of interest’ while acting as president of Asian football.

The latest allegations still fall short of exposing any FIFA executive committee members requesting cash or favours in exchange for votes.

But John Whittingdale, chairman of the Commons Culture, Media and Sport select committee, said: ‘There have already been serious doubts raised about the capability of Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup on football grounds. If the choice of Qatar was as a result of improper payments being made, then that strengthens an already strong case for re-running the whole 2022 contest.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldcup2014/article-2645571/Qatari-officials-meet-FIFA-investigator-corruption-claims-2018-2022-World-Cups-intensify.html

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Qatar unveils design of fifth proposed venue



As Qatar continues to make progress on the delivery of its venues for the 2022 FIFA World Cup™, the new design for Al Rayyan Stadium - the fifth proposed stadium for world football's showpiece event in seven years time - took place this week at a time when the club is also celebrating its return to top-flight football in the Qatar Stars League.

Al Rayyan Stadium will be built on the site of Al Rayyan Sports Club’s former stadium (Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium), which was recently demolished. During tournament mode, the stadium will have a capacity of 40,000 spectators which will be able to host group stage, Round of 16 and quarter final matches. After the tournament the stadium’s capacity will be reduced to 21,000 in legacy mode, with the upper tier of seats being removed and sent to developing nations in need of sports infrastructure.

Speaking at the design launch, Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, said: “Unveiling the design of Al Rayyan stadium is another important step forward in our preparations to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. We will continue to work tirelessly as our vision for the tournament takes shape on the ground.

“As one of the most successful and widely-supported clubs in Qatar, Al Rayyan has always played an important part in our hosting plans. We are very confident that this impressively designed stadium and precinct will become a landmark for the Al Rayyan area and benefit the entire community.”

The stadium and surrounding precinct will contain a number of facilities and features that will be used by the local population of Al Rayyan, including a mosque, members club, athletics track, cricket pitch, tennis courts, hockey pitch, football training pitches, aquatics centre, skate park and cycling track. The precinct will also house a new branch of Aspetar – the leading sports medicine hospital.

Talking to www.sc.qa, Al Rayyan’s Spanish coach Manolo Jimenez confirmed that Al Rayyan Sports Club was already feeling the positive effects of receiving confirmation of their future home: “This is an important moment for the club. We’ll be aiming high in the first division next season, and this new stadium is more modern, more functional and will have fantastic features. It will motivate the club and the fans to do even better. Now we start the Emir Cup on Friday, and we want to go all the way and reach the final and win it.”

The sense of optimism surrounding the most widely supported club in Qatar was confirmed by former Al Rayyan player Ronald de Boer, who added: “It looks very impressive, and I would like to be a player again in this new stadium. It will be a beautiful area in Qatar, also with the developments planned around the stadium. I believe the new stadium will also help to bring more fans to the matches. I remember playing in the old stadium with my brother and Sonny Anderson, playing against the likes of Guardiola and Batistuta. They are great memories, and now the new design looks amazing.”

Qatar revealed the first proposed host venue design in November 2013 – Al Wakrah Stadium. AECOM, in association with Zaha Hadid Architects, developed the design which reflects the tradition of the city, famous for its fishing and seafaring heritage. Currently, the site at Al Wakrah has started to take on shape as the first concrete was laid above ground in the stadium which will seat 40,000 spectators.

The next design to be announced was Al Bayt Stadium – Al Khor City. An entirely Qatari concept, the traditional tent-shaped design reflects the country’s proud history and culture. It has a modular design, which includes an upper tier of removable seats. Meanwhile, Khalifa International Stadium design was revealed in November 2014. The reveal of Qatar Foundation Stadium, the fourth stadium design, came exactly four years to the day after Qatar celebrated its successful bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup™.

With Al Rayyan Stadium now becoming the fifth proposed host venue to have its final design presented, the fans of one of Qatar’s most beloved clubs are already looking forward to the completion of their new home. And so are the players, as ‘Lions’ attacking midfielder Rodrigo Tabata confirmed after seeing the new design: “The fans of Al Rayyan deserve this new stadium. I hope I stay in the club long enough to play in this new stadium. For me it would be an amazing experience.”

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2015/m=4/news=qatar-unveils-design-of-fifth-proposed-venue-2593586.html

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Ireland to face Wales as O’Neill’s side handed favourable 2018 World Cup qualifying draw

IRELAND HAVE BEEN handed a favourable 2018 World Cup qualifying draw as they were paired alongside Wales and Austria in Group D.

Martin O’Neill’s side will also face Serbia, Moldova and Georgia as they look to qualify for their first World Cup since 2002.

The Boys in Green avoided Europe’s heavyweights as they were drawn with Chris Coleman’s side from Pot One, although Wales recently climbed into the top ten of the Fifa world rankings.

Austria, who Ireland played in the last World Cup qualifying campaign, and Georgia are familiar opponents.



The group stages take place between September 2016 and October 2017 with each team playing each other home and away.

The team that finishes top of the group automatically qualifies for Russia with the side that finishes second going into a playoff.

The playoffs will then be played in November 2017.

http://www.the42.ie/ireland-2018-world-cup-qualifying-draw-2235797-Jul2015/

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Routes to Russia 2018 revealed at Preliminary Draw



The road to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ has been laid out for 141 teams from across the globe as St Petersburg's Konstantin Palace hosted a dramatic and star-studded Preliminary Draw.

A global audience of approximately 94.8 million tuned in as the spectacular show, hosted by Dmitry Shepelev and supermodel Natalia Vodianova, blended football with some of the best in Russian music and culture. The draw itself - overseen by Jérôme Valcke, FIFA's Secretary General - also produced its fair share of fireworks, with Spain-Italy and Chile-Brazil on the first South American matchday just a couple of the mouth-watering games left to tantalise the beautiful game's billions of fans.

Words of welcome

All of those enthusiasts had earlier been promised the warmest of welcomes by Russia's President, Vladimir Putin, who kicked off proceedings by addressing the 2,000 guests and viewers from across the world. "Our country has a long-standing football history and the World Cup will definitely enhance the game's reputation," said Putin. "This is a tournament that will be wonderful not only for Russia but for all our neighbouring countries. It is Russia's great pleasure to be hosting the World Cup, which will offer a great chance to show our country's many faces to the world."

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter also expressed his excitement about the tournament, although he sought to shift the focus - for now at least - to the eagerly awaited preliminaries. "This is an important day in the long and winding road to the 2018 FIFA World Cup," said Blatter. "The tournament is very much on track and Russia will be fantastic hosts. But first a much longer competition must take place, lasting no less than 33 months, with over 850 matches taking place. And when all's said and done, we will know the teams that will compete in Russia."

The draw process was interlaced with entertaining performances, the first of which came when the Terem-Quartet and artists and football jugglers from the Leningrad Centre brought a uniquely Russian flavour to a well-known western pop song. 'Get the Party Started' proved a fitting theme, too, because the main event began to unfold immediately afterwards, with the Intercontinental Play-off draw pitting CONCACAF against AFC, leaving OFC's hopefuls to face an opponent from the CONMEBOL region.

This was the only aspect of the draw which concerned teams in Asia, where qualifying is already underway. Tribute was paid, nonetheless, to two of the continent's great early success stories, with Valcke highlighting the momentous wins enjoyed by both Bhutan and Guam.

Big names and big challenges

Rinat Dasayev, Soviet goalkeeping legend, and Cameroon icon Samuel Eto'o, then assisted FIFA's Secretary-General in setting out the route for Africa's 2018 contenders, with Somalia having the honour of being the first team picked out in this Preliminary Draw. And while the big guns will only meet later in the process, the first and second round ties look set to include some David and Goliath-style meetings, with Nigeria set to face the winner of a tie between Swaziland and Djibouti, the continent's lowest-ranked nation.

Next up, via a rendition of 'Podmoskovnye Vechera' by opera singers Hibla Gerzmava and Vasily Gerello, it was the turn of teams from North, Central America and the Caribbean to learn the first of their qualifying opponents. This part of the process, led by Italian World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro and beach soccer icon Madjer, left USA and Mexico paired with Trinidad and Tobago and Honduras respectively in Round 4, while CONCACAF Gold Cup finalists Jamaica must first negotiate a third-round tie with Nicaragua.

Oceania's teams would have been feeling nervous by this stage, although they were soothed before their section of the draw by the beauty and elegance of two dancers performing an excerpt of Boris Eifman's ballet Anna Karenina to music by Tchaikovsky. Alexey Smertin and Predrag Rajkovic, captain of Serbia's FIFA U-20 World Cup winners, then assisted Valcke in laying out the continent's groups, one of which pitted top-ranked New Zealand against Solomon Islands, Fiji and Vanuatu.

Heavyweight clashes in South America, Europe

The honour of conducting South America's draw fell thereafter to two of the continent's striking greats: Ronaldo and Diego Forlan. In this region, where every team does battle within the same group, the opening-day matches were the centre of attention, and O Fenômeno admitted to fearing for Brazil after they were handed a trip to Copa America champions Chile.

The main draw concluded with sights turned to Europe, although only after the guests had been treated to an up-tempo Football Medley by the World Jazz Stars. The musicians were then replaced on stage by Aleksandr Kerzhakov and Oliver Bierhoff, who helped lay out the task facing the 52 teams in a continent with 13 slots up for grabs.

Gasps swiftly followed, with Spain and Italy - winners in 2010 and 2006 respectively - drawn together in Group G, with other pairings including France and the Netherlands and the oldest international rivalry of all: England-Scotland. Defending champions Germany, meanwhile, will face the first challenges to their crown against the likes of Czech Republic, Northern Ireland and Norway.

And, with that, it was over. Polina Gagarina provided the final musical treat for the 2000 guests, while fans from across the world - some delighted, some dismayed - were left to pore over the draw and what it means for their teams' chances of reaching Russia 2018.

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2015/m=7/news=routes-to-russia-2018-revealed-at-preliminary-draw-2667588.html?cid=newsletter_en_20150730_newsid

[Andi Istiabudi]

Tadinya saya kira ditangkapnya beberapa pejabat tinggi FIFA bakal membuat penyelenggaraan tahun 2018 dan 2022 dikaji ulang atau mungkin diganti. Namun tampaknya Russia dan Qatar bakal tetap menjadi tuan rumah Piala Dunia untuk 2018 dan 2022. Semoga saja tahun 2022 Indonesia bisa lolos

[Andi Istiabudi]

Masih lama nih, 7 tahun lagi

FIFA Pastikan Start Piala Dunia 2022, Berlangsung 28 Hari
Rifqi Ardita Widianto - detikSport

Zurich - Enam bulan usai memutuskan menggelar Piala Dunia 2022 di musim dingin, FIFA mengumumkan start turnamen empat tahunan itu. Dimulai pada 21 November, gelaran di Qatar itu berlangsung selama 28 hari.

FIFA sebelumnya telah mengumumkan pada Maret lalu bahwa final Piala Dunia 2022 akan berlangsung pada tanggal 18 Desember, sekaligus memastikan turnamen ini digelar di musim dingin.

Langkah ini diambil demi mengurangi ancaman cuaca panas di Qatar, yang mencapai suhu tertinggi pada waktu normal gelaran Piala Dunia di bulan Juni-Juli.

Lantas Komite Eksekutif FIFA pada Jumat (25/9/2015) hari ini mengumumkan bahwa turnamen akan dimulai pada 21 November, sebagaimana dilansir Sky Sports. Keputusan ini mengonfirmasi keinginan FIFA sebelumnya untuk memperpendek durasi turnamen. Biasanya Piala Dunia sendiri berlangsung selama 32 hari.

Berlangsungnya Piala Dunia 2022 di musim dingin sejak awal mendapatkan protes dari klub-klub Eropa. Karena saat itu sebagian besar kompetisi di Benua Biru tengah berjalan.