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Blatter open to share 2022 World Cup hosting

By on November 8, 2013
Sepp Blatter has once again opened up more opportunities to amend the every-controversial 2022 World Cup

Sepp Blatter has once again opened up more opportunities to amend the every-controversial 2022 World Cup

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has revealed that neighboring middle-eastern countries could co-host the controversial 2022 Qatar World Cup amid concerns over abuse of workers that are constructing the faculties needed to host the World Cup in Qatar.  Multiple press reports have accused companies building stadiums of using slave-like labor on foreign workers, and after the highly controversial and corrupt bid for the 2022 World Cup went to Qatar Blatter claimed Fifa is considering to allow some multiple countries including Iran and the UAE to co-host the World Cup.

“This is a question I keep a big question mark behind,” he told reporters in Abu Dhabi. “I passed through Iran and, even on a political level, they said they would be happy to host some of the matches.

“Not only the Gulf states, but also Iran. This is a matter for the United Arab Emirates as well, they are very eager. Also, I want to avoid all this criticism concerning workers’ rights, but this is another problem.

“To have the finals in different countries is not a new fact and I am sure it is something on the table at a certain time. “We need to take this step by step. We have up until 2022 to make a decision, nine years.”

Hosting the World Cup in neighboring countries could also fend off some of the criticism pointed at Fifa over the height of the temperatures in Qatar, but Blatter still remained attempting to have the World Cup held in the winter.  Yet this solution has also been highly argued over, with Winter spots federations and broadcasters worrying about the consequences on the 2022 Winter Olympics if the normal June and July World Cup scheduled was changed for a January-February one.   Besides for denting revenue and televisions audiences for the Olympics, hosting the World Cup in the winter would also conflict with the league seasons around the world.

The English FA has lead the attack from Europe against the possibility of moving it to Europe, saying it would interfere with the Premier League’s schedule.

“The first step is figuring out how it can be made in winter, November or December. This will be discussed up until the next World Cup,” Blatter said on moving the World Cup to the winter. “Our main concern is to consult with stakeholders, and all participants in football clubs, leagues, national federations and players.

“Another category is the economic partners, marketing, media and television. To spread it to other countries isn’t a new point. It’s an interesting one.”

But let be honest, these issues could hardly have escaped Fifa’s notice before awarding the cup to Qatar in the first place.

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.