Fridays backpage headlines

[Phil from the upper holte]

It will be interesting to see how the Russian World Cup turns out.

Expensive

[CJ]

Just been announced, England only got TWO votes.

And one of those was England. So basically one country voted for us

[avmark]

Благодарю вас Бирмингем Сити

[pauliewalnuts]

Who else were competing with Qatar for 2022? How did a country of less than 2 million land the world cup? It would be like Wales, the West Mids or Perth, W.A. getting it, crazy.

Not even that.

Qatar - population 1.6m, which is half the population of the West Midlands conurbation.

[spangley1812]

Who else were competing with Qatar for 2022? How did a country of less than 2 million land the world cup? It would be like Wales, the West Mids or Perth, W.A. getting it, crazy.

Not even that.

Qatar - population 1.6m, which is half the population of the West Midlands conurbation.

In Qatar in June/July time it's the hottest place in the world! The temperatures are around 55 degrees!

[Fred]

I would imagine the rightwing press (Sun/The Mail) are already blaming the BBC and will call for the licence fee to be abolished and the BBC broken up.

[manic-road]

Who else were competing with Qatar for 2022? How did a country of less than 2 million land the world cup? It would be like Wales, the West Mids or Perth, W.A. getting it, crazy.

Australia only got one vote, and they were seen as the main contender to Qatar.

Not even that.

Qatar - population 1.6m, which is half the population of the West Midlands conurbation.

In Qatar in June/July time it's the hottest place in the world! The temperatures are around 55 degrees!

[The Left Side]

Didn't see that coming, Qatar in June...ouch it will be warm!

[Chris Harte]

Didn't see that coming, Qatar in June...ouch it will be warm!

With the time difference, the games will no doubt be played at midnight local time to appeal to European television.

[pauliewalnuts]

It's not so much annoying that England didn't get it, it is the hypocrisy I don't like.

Like FIFA and their anti racism campaigns giving the world cup to a country where racism in football is endemic. It is similar to the hypocrisy in UEFA fining teams like Real Madrid 10,000 euros for racist chanting.

Then there's pretending there is any real benefit in giving it to a tiny oil rich gulf state.

[The Left Side]

Didn't see that coming, Qatar in June...ouch it will be warm!

With the time difference, the games will no doubt be played at midnight local time to appeal to European television.

Well that would work, is Qatar as muslim country, that could be interesting for all the beer sponsors FIFA love?

[montague]

Wembley is hosting the biggest football match in the world in May. International football is increasingly irrelevant and of a standard below the best club competitions in the world.

Russia you can just about understand but Quatar is a joke. It should at least go to a country that has a chance of qualifying on merit.

[Big Dick Edwards]

I hope our journalists REALLY go after those corrupt FIFA bastards now.

[SashasGrandad]

Благодарю вас Бирмингем Сити

Is that how you say "F*** O** Small Heath" in Russian?

[cdbearsfan]

It's not so much annoying that England didn't get it, it is the hypocrisy I don't like.

Like FIFA and their anti racism campaigns giving the world cup to a country where racism in football is endemic. It is similar to the hypocrisy in UEFA fining teams like Real Madrid 10,000 euros for racist chanting.

Then there's pretending there is any real benefit in giving it to a tiny oil rich gulf state.

They have promised the stadia will be able to be picked up and shipped out to go to countries in the developing World that can't afford to build such grounds themselves after the tournament. Clever vote-winning tactic. Wonder if they will stick to it?

In hindsight, it was obvious Qatar would get it once FIFA committed the World Club Cup to UAE for the next few years. There is obviously something about massive amounts of oil-cash that FIFA executives like.