How convoluted are the politics surrounding this Thursday's FIFA vote to award the hosts for World Cups 2018 and '22? Well, the first person I saw upon leaving airport customs here was Bora Milutinovic, the peripatetic Serbian-born, Mexican-based coach who managed the U.S. at World Cup '94.

"The Body" is working for Australia.

PARIS, France - FIFA president Sepp Blatter says Qatar's neighboring countries could host games at the 2022 World Cup. Qatar was designated the 2022 World Cup last week, despite concerns that the intense heat poses a serious health risk if the tournament is played in summer. In an interview with sports daily L'Equipe on Thursday, [.

Here are some of the World's Sexiest Female Footballers:Sweden's own Josefine Öqvist posed for Swedish men's magazine Slitz. She was one of the first female athletes to do so. Of course, there were people who thought this was inappropriate but if Freddie Ljungberg can appear half naked on billboards, why can't Josefine be in a lad's mag?

When FIFA voted to hold the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, it was promoted as "bringing football to a new world and a new culture" as well as bringing the World Cup to the "entire Middle East." And now, it seems that sentiment might be taken quite literally by the game's governing bodies as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar may very well change the way have ever held the tournament before.

There's no question things at FIFA are less than kosher it's the dietary law equivalent of McDonald's dipped in Burger King. However, even those loosely involved are likely on the gray-ish side of things, including those up in arms over the World Cup 2018 & 2022 bids.

Take Australia, which reportedly spent $8m-per-vote on their bid for World Cup 2022.

Here's the thing y'all didn't know about Daniel Hernandez: dude is a lover and has now gone on record as such by publicly declaring his affinity for early-90's knicker-melters Jodeci. I can't say I'm surprised at this because I remember when he was a Metro back in the day and he rocked them cornrows that made him look like a ghetto Ben Affleck.

So the verdict is out.

"For 2018 and 2022 we go to new lands, because the FIFA World Cup has never been in eastern Europe or the Middle East." says FIFA's president Joseph Blatter.

Yeah, we'll pretend that is the reason since there is absolutely nothing one can do about it. And I say this really in regards to Qatar, not Russia.

Shortly after both Russia and Qatar were announced as the 2018 and 2022 World Cup host nations, FIFA released how the vote for each event took place.

It was revealed that England didn't progress past the first round of voting for 2018, coming up with only two votes, while the likes of Netherlands/Belgium and Spain/Portugal progressed, only to be defeated by Russia in the second round of voting.

ZURICH, Switzerland The full results of the voting rounds for the World Cup 2018 and 2022 show the US was very close to winning the 2022 bid. The US was only eliminated in the fourth and final round of voting which turned out in favor of Qatar. England only received two votes in the [...]

As just about everyone knows, I have a day job. My employer prohibits me from using my cellphone at work (can't even bring it into the building), so Tweeting is out of the question until I leave for the day. I am able to read news sites, though, so I was able to find out the results of the World Cup 2022 selection.

So there we have it. After 18 months of political lobbying, journalist digging, scandal, corruption and a last minute Royal-infused, David Beckham inspired dash to the line, England's 2018 World Cup bid ended in dismal failure.
We are not alone though. It was also a grim day yesterday for Australia and America as they missed the chance to host the World Cup to, of all places, Qatar.

Russia and Qatar. The 2018 and 2022 World Cups will be going where no World Cup has gone before.
I was fairly unmoved by the whole shebang surrounding the bidding process. Certainly a fair few English noses have been put out of joint.
And many English journalists are now ranting and raving about the power of money and the questionable attitudes of the two countries to human rights and media freedom.

Sedes (11): Ibaraki, Kobe, Niigata, Oita, Osaka, Saitama, Sapporo, Shizuoka, Tokio, Toyota y Yokohama. Estadios (13): 12 se renovarán y uno se construirá.Entradas: 3.289.000 Alojamientos: 96.000 habitaciones Presupuesto (Copa Confederaciones 2021 y Mundial 2022): 843,4 millones dólares Experiencia: Mundial 2002 coorganizado con Corea del Sur.

Sedes (12): Busan, Cheonan, Daegu, Daejeon, Goyang, Gwanju, Incheon, Jeju, Jeonju, Ulsan, Seul, Suwon. Estadios (14): 13 se renovarán y uno se construirá para los Juegos Asiáticos de 2014. Entradas: 3.000.000 Alojamientos: 87.000 habitaciones Presupuesto (Mundial 2022 y Copa Confederaciones 2021): 496,6 millones de dólares.

ZURICH, Switzerland The frenzied race for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups entered the home straight Wednesday as rival bids made final presentations on the eve of the scandal-tainted vote. The five countries battling for the 2022 football extravaganza – Australia, the United States, South Korea, Japan and Qatar – showcased their bids in [.

A lot of Aussie media snobs have been cringeing at the World Cup Bid presentation.
The same media who love Rugby League talk, AFL cliches etc etc, but seem to think Australia without it's natural wonders and diversity has something else to sell.
They should leave our shores a little more and talk to people who want to come to this place.

It's down to the announcement for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups. There are four bids for the 2018 tournament (England, Russia, Portugal/Spain) and five bids for the 2022 tournament (USA, Qatar, Australia, South Korea, Japan).

Live coverage of the decision will begin around 9:30 AM Eastern, 6:30 AM Pacific, and 2:30 PM GMT (England).

Soraya Soemadiredja, Manila.

Despite several allegations of corruption and breaches of ethics, there are now less than 8 hours left for the bidding nations to convince FIFA to give them the ball to host the World Cup. So yesterday, the 2022 World Cup bidding nations presented their final push for the position and as we write/you read, the 2018 World Cup bidding nations will make their last arguments before the Executive Committee will vote.

Well now we know Russia-will be the host for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and Qatar will be the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

For the first time in 44 years, FIFA is announcing two World Cup hosts on one day. FIFA has done it only twice in the past, in 1946 and 1966, but both times, only a single country was bidding for each tournament.

ZURICH, Switzerland - Russia has won the FIFA vote to host the 2018 World Cup finals, beating competition from England, Netherlands/Belgium and Spain/Portugal. FIFA president Sepp Blatter announced the result of the 22-member panel in Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday afternoon. It will be the first time Russia has hosted the tournament.

Rusia, para el 2018, y Qatar, para el 2022, fueron los países elegidos para ser las sedes mundialistas de los mundiales de fútbol que le siguen a Brasil 2014.
Por primera vez en la historia se deciden dos anfitriones de una sola vez. El presidente Joseph Blatter anunció el resultado de la votación secreta del Comité Ejecutivo de la Fifa en Zurich, hace unos minutos.

Qatar will become the first Middle Eastern Country to hold the World Cup after beating off competition from Australia and the United States to host the event in 2022. Among their Qatar's admirers in their bid for the 2022 World Cup Finals was Alex Ferguson.

By now you have likely heard that the United States lost its bid to host the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, a country with a population smaller than Latvia but who promised FIFA a truly revolutionary and peace-bringing World Cup.

What you may not know is the vote was not even remotely close.

Vía FIFA.
El Comité Ejecutivo de la FIFA ha elegido a Rusia para organizar la Copa del Mundo 2018, mientras que el Mundial 2022 será para Qatar. El Presidente de la FIFA, Joseph Blatter, anunció el resultado de la votación secreta del Comité Ejecutivo de la FIFA el jueves 2 de diciembre de 2010 en el Messe de Zúrich.

Tracking the Voting

The longest voting session in history was three rounds, prior to today. Balloting for the 2022 World Cup wasn't decided into the vote was down to two bids, a process that went four rounds. Ultimately, the bid that nearly won it on the first ballot was the clear winner

Qatar 11 10 11 14
United States 3 5 6 8
South Korea 4 5 5
Japan 4 2
Australia 1

How the voting went

USA didn't just lose, we got trounced.

LONDON — Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer signed a new contract with Fulham. The 38-year-old Schwarzer, who joined Fulham from Middlesbrough in 2008, was heavily linked with a move from the Cottagers to London top-flight rivals Arsenal during the last transfer window. Schwarzer was reportedly keen on a move to the Gunners, who have had difficulties [.

Welcome to Fergie Time, a roundup/newsletter type deal that delivers news, opinion and links directly to your screen. As the name suggests, there will be some exaggeration, nsfw moments, canceled press conferences (oh, who are we kidding) and late, late, late scoring of points. You'll like it, trust me.

208 countries make up FIFA.
So how come only 24 FIFA members get to vote? Democracy at work under Blatter!
Only 24 get to vote for the biggest Sporting contest, or 22 if Mohammed Bin Hammam has anything to do with it, not to mention the financial benefits that come to that country in terms of business contracts.

It's all happening.
Post World Cup defeat - the plan announced by the FFA is:
Extend Ben Buckley's contract.
Reduce the A-League season
Reduce it seems the number of teams in the A-League.
Start the season later.
So no Plan B, nothing exciting but clearly a reduced season a later start (crowds haven't changed from early season to mid-season despite end of other codes season.

Lucy Zelic, Paddy Bordier, and Aaron Walker talk and spin all things Aussie football.
How many football poddies only cover Aussie football?
We are clearly Australia's number one football poddie, apart from all the others, We discuss all the news from Australian football. What more could you wish for from the Australian media?

*Too little, too late - We now learn Switzerland's sports minister had ordered an investigation into "corruption in sport" a month before the controversial World Cup hosting decisions. "It is clear that Switzerland is obliged to do something," Ueli Maurer announced in response to the growing allegations of FIFA wrongdoings, which led to the suspension of two Ex.

You can always tell the face painters and the day trippers at football matches. Apart from asking what colour shirts Indonesia/Manchester United/Real Madrid are wearing they're the ones who wet their pants as the mexican wave gets close to them. It makes them feel part of the crowd. Well, it would do wouldn't it?

Australia was knocked out in the first round of voting by FIFA executives in Zurich last Friday (AEST) to decide the World Cup hosts, despite having one of the strongest technical bids. A group of Aussie fans, known as Aussies On Tour FC, have now launched Reclaim the Game – Pub World Cup in protest to FIFA's decision.

Spare a thought for Australia, whose ambitious bid, ticking all the right FIFA boxes for 'legacy' and 'new lands', came in dead last for 2022 with only one vote, even worse than England's 2018 shipwreck. They had been expecting six in the first round.Soccer is Oz could have done with a World Cup as it is still considered an immigrant sport by many fans of the longer-established Aussie Rules and

Spare a thought for Australia, whose ambitious bid, ticking all the right FIFA boxes for 'legacy' and 'new lands', came in dead last for 2022 with only one vote, even worse than England's 2018 shipwreck. They had been expecting six in the first round.Soccer is Oz could have done with a World Cup as it is still considered an immigrant sport by many fans of the longer-established Aussie Rules and

Does the name John Curtis ring any bells with Manchester United fans? It would not surprise if many will be asking John who? The versatile defender spent five years at Old Trafford, was a member of...
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They Think It's All Over... reckons football can learn something from cricket.

So we lose the World Cup Bid and the FFA face the press.
Of course there is going to be some questions about the bid. You go through that.
And the focus turned to the A-League...or it should have done.
It didn't did it, not really.
Ben Buckley said we're going to complete the A-League review, and get the Socceroos to 2014 World Cup and engage the community.

England, Australia and the United States are all aggrieved about the outcome of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup decisions. England spent £15m on its campaign and got just one vote. Australia spent $A42 million on its campaign for 2022, but despite having run a fantastic Olympics, got just one vote.

Our own Costa Rican David Fuentes Solarno tells us how to pronounce the name of Juan Carlos Solazarno. Paddy Bordier and Eamonn Flanagan talk and spin all things Aussie football.
How many football poddies only cover Aussie football?
We are clearly Australia's number one football poddie, apart from all the others, We discuss all the news from Australian football.