The mega rich gulf state of Qatar has thrown off its gloves in the latest World Cup bid. They are hoping to woo Fifa officials with the prospect of solar powered air-conditioned pitches and stadium seats with sea views.
A delegation of Fifa officials will be visiting the country to assess the proposed facilities. If successful, Qatar would be the first Arab country to host the football tournament. The organisers have had words of encouragement by Fifa’s President Sepp Blater who mentioned earlier in the year that the Arab world deserves to stage a World Cup.
Mr Blater also suggested that after Qatar’s successful hosting of the 2006 Asian Games, they proved themselves to be capable of organising international events on a large scale.
Qatar will be up against bidders including South Korea, Japan, Australia and the USA. It does happen to be the smallest country bidding, but also the wealthiest, spending £26bn on infrastructure and £2.6bn on stadiums alone. The stadiums will be developed in the shapes of boats, sea shells and play on various themes from the region’s cultural heritage.
Fifa will be announcing the hosts of both the 2010 and 2022 World Cups in December this year.