Qatar World Cup

This one is MUCH worse as it is built on complete lies

https://www.rte.ie/sport/world-cup-2022/2022/1019/1330080-300-billion-bill-possible-for-qatar-as-world-cup-looms/

World Cups are still about bringing people together, but they also about corruption and always have been.

But the problem with Qatar is that it has been so blatant.

FIFA usually want hosts to at least meet these requirements.

A big population so that there will be mass local interest, and disperesed venues so that all of a host nation will have some part of it, plus it helps with logistics etc.

Qatar straight away offer none of that, even before you look at the politics, rights etc

The fact that it was so blatant and that Qatar is such a c**t of a country should be an issue for FIFA.

But it's not, it's sponsors are still there, it's profile is still high etc.

If normal people are really annoyed by this then it's easy to fix it.

Don't watch the games, don't follow it on social media, don't buy from the sponsors.

And don't stop at the world cup, keep ignoring international soccer for as long as it takes.

But that would happen of course, because at the end of the day people will tut tut about LGBTQ rights in Qatar, or migrant workers rights, but will still have a reminder in their phone to watch England v USA at 7pm while drinking a bottle of Bud nice and cold from their Hisense fridge on their Sony TV.

FIFA have always been corrupt and have always made decisions that benefit themselves and their cronies it just so happens that this time the corruption is jumping up and biting people on the nose.

We're all appalled by the attitude towards LGBTQ people in Qatar but they're not alone in holding such views in that part of the world and it would be wonderful if that was the worst thing about the Qatar world Cup because it's such a cavern of seemingly unending dispair and misery when you stand back and look at all the issues surrounding it.

That and it disrups the football season horrifically as well, on those grounds alone the bid from Qatar should never have been entertained to begin with but here we are looking down the barrel of the most disgusting major sporting event in history.

I think the only good thing to come out of it is the crooked way it was awarded led to untouchables in FIFA being removed and out of the organisation for good.

See

RTE won't play Fairytale Of New York without censoring it despite the fact the lyrics had a different meaning 35 years ago yet they are fine paying millions to show football from a country where being a gay is illegal, makes sense.

I'm going to watch it anyway. Its the World Cup.

But yes its a terrible (corrupt) choice and I wish this wasn't happening there (or now).

Read on IT mag every WC visitor must have two apps installed mandatory on their smartphones. One covid tracker thingy and the overall WC app for bookings, public transport etc. Both apps with wide ranging permissions on the phones.

As for corruption - it's always been like that. FIFA is like an assembly of all their member countries and to make a bid to host the World Cup you have to pull delegates towards your side to win the 'election'. Same as in parliament only without parties, free-for-all. Can you imagine. I'd say the horse trading and outright bribery has always been at unbelievable levels there. No matter who you are. Franz Beckenbauer was knee deep in it for 2010, too. Was all hush hushed away.

I really don't blame the players for going. I would definitely be going if i was a player. For many it is the pinnacle of their career and the only chance that a lot will get to play a world cup. I'll also be watching it as to be honest i don't think whether i watch or not will make any difference. And i'd say the people saying they are going to skip it would very likely not have watched much anyway no matter where it was on.

The people who should be skipping this are the delegations that countries are sending. No politicians, monarchies, presidents or ambassadors should be there in any official capacity.

I'll be watching it anyway. As many matches as I can.

I'd prefer that it be held almost anywhere else in the world, and the choice of host does lay bare the utter hypocrisy and shameless money-grab by FIFA...but I'm still going to watch it.

Tbh, I don't know of any football fans who are going to to give it a miss out of principle.

can all be sorted with a few multi colored armbands lads...

I think I'd echo this.

Might not go out of my way to watch games, but will watch what's on.

I have very little interest for any other spectacle associated with the event though. Because the idea of celebrating any of this doesn't sit right.

Im going for a few days. While I am in agreement that its a joke that it was ever allowed to be hosted there, not to mention the construction related human rights issues, I think the whole outrage stinks of hypocrisy. The West love to pick and choose what we're angry about and turn a blind eye when it doesn't suit us.

Worth noting that the Brazilian one was extremely controversial also for many Brazilians with forced removal of 1000s of people from their homes and scandalous overspending.

The funny part is, once the soccer starts, all the outrage will fizzle out, and imo, rightly so. The WC is about more than just the host nation and FIFA.

Qatar is the first Muslim country to host the World Cup…it must be noted that FIFA's decision to vote on two consecutive World Cup venues simultaneously AND twelve years in advance made it seem as though FIFA was trying to create a favorable atmosphere for certain nations with World Cup ambitions, like Qatar but without ready infrastructure, without social amenities, who had or have security questions to answer to actually get the gig and have twelve years plus to get sorted.

a lot of the stadia and infrastructure are / were purpose built or newly built in the years preceding the tournament.

then the World Cup being given the go ahead to start in November ffs….ALL about facilitating Qatar..100% about politics.. football an afterthought…

0% about football, the fans, countries, teams or players. FIFA is a rank organisation.

I can understand those who may otherwise have travelled to Qatar boycotting is but boycotting watching it on the telly strikes me as a bit ridiculous.

And, now, politicking..