And the World Cup 2018 goes to....

The BENELUX!!!!!!!!!

On Belgian Television Alain Courtois told the spectators the three nations are ready to organise it!

Euro 2000 was the most successful Euro tournament ever! It is still the only Euro tournament that made huge profits instead of losses! Portugal 2004 and England 1996, for instance, ended up in a big disillusion because they couldn't even make it break-even!

Also, the World Cup U-20 in the Netherlands was an immense success. It was not because this tournament was the break-through of Lionel Messi, the biggest talent in the world. No, it was the first WC U-20 tournament that made huge profits instead of losses. Also, almost every game was sold out from the beginning to the end of the tournament while in other countries all stadiums were rather empty than packed!!!!!

The BeNeLux are ready to organise the World Cup and there is no doubt in my mind they don't fail!!!! The only problem is: Sepp Blatter had bad experiences with the disappointing duo World Cup in Korea and Japan! The Losses were so big that he is scared now to get another duo/trio World Cup! The biggest reason why Korea and Japan were a big failure was because of the distance! The Benelux will not have this problem of course!

Every other country that likes to organise a World Cup in 2018 (England) can stop now! They will lose it from the BeNeLux!!!!!

No thoughts about it?

I would absolutly love it!

Apparently Holland still has made no commitment towards this bid, we have to wait till after the elections...seems the Belgians jumped the gun on this...

I know the Dutch wanted to wait... But Axe don't you like it?

ricardojol wrote:I know the Dutch wanted to wait... But Axe don't you like it?

Of course I'd like it, but you don't shoot your chickens until they've crossed the road (hehe, or something like that )

You are right! And...If Holland and Belgium show some disagreements I don't think Blatter will like that!

What you think of Luxembourg...?

Germany winning a World Cup in Holland...yes, I think that sounds good to me...

ricardojol wrote:You are right! And...If Holland and Belgium show some disagreements I don't think Blatter will like that!

What you think of Luxembourg...?

No chance I think. Too bad for Luxemburg but you cannot host a WC with 3 countries.

chrissicross wrote:Germany winning a World Cup in Holland...yes, I think that sounds good to me...

You must have misread it : it was in *this* century

On the one hand it would be fantastic for the BeNeLux, you are our neighbours and to celebrate it with you would be great, on the other hand England is the homeland of football, they invented the game so its about time they were allowed to host it again, so my sentimental choice would be England.
However, I've read that FIFA have already announced that joint bids will not be allowed so I'm a bit confused now. Have they changed their opinion?

SpartaR wrote:

ricardojol wrote:You are right! And...If Holland and Belgium show some disagreements I don't think Blatter will like that!

What you think of Luxembourg...?

No chance I think. Too bad for Luxemburg but you cannot host a WC with 3 countries.

It's a shame it's not possible for a stadium or two to be outside the host country. Especially countries which have no borders with the said country.

Axeslammer ! wrote:

chrissicross wrote:Germany winning a World Cup in Holland...yes, I think that sounds good to me...

You must have misread it : it was in *this* century

Sorry Axe, but we are not the ones who need (more than) a century to win a World Cup...

don't knw about 2018 but in Uruguay they have been trying to bid for the 2030 WC(100 years after the 1st WC...held in that country) since 98 I believe...one can imagine how big is the chance they have...

The 2018 WC will defo not go the Benelux, that idiot Belgian shoot himself (and us) in the foot by making that statement.

Ballmädchen wrote:On the one hand it would be fantastic for the BeNeLux, you are our neighbours and to celebrate it with you would be great, on the other hand England is the homeland of football, they invented the game so its about time they were allowed to host it again, so my sentimental choice would be England.
However, I've read that FIFA have already announced that joint bids will not be allowed so I'm a bit confused now. Have they changed their opinion?

If the Dutch and the Belgians are sure they don't have a chance to organise it they won't try it. It is indeed true Blatter don't like a duo organisation but I am sure a big lobby campaign can change Blatter's mind. His fears are not justified!

Belgium and the Netherlands (Luxembourg) are friendly nations who always worked very good together. The BeNeLux are a coalition that exists for many years. We share almost the same history. The Benelux was in the 16th century "the Netherlands" under Spanish suppression. They were, for instance, the motor of the EU developments in the beginning of the unification. They've proofed already with the superb organised Euro 2000 it is possible! so there are no fears of failure!

This story will continue after the Dutch elections of November 22 if the countries shall really try to compete with England and Co....

First of all it ain't never gonna happen. But may we get chosen for some miracle reason, what use has Luxembourg may I ask? Not to mention the stadiums, we really should get new ones(especially Belgium)

Come on guys lets be positive for one day! If no political games will been played. This is the best organisation for a WC! The stadiums will be there on time!!!

Well the new Feyenoord-stadium will be ready then(Cap 70000+). And ofcourse we should get the final again

The Kuip is the best stadium for it!

where does the 2014 WC go to? Is it decided yet? If that's not China, it will definitely go there the time after that.

Western Europe should host a WC again in... 2054. I mean, if FIFA began to play it fairly...

2010 - South Africa

2014 - South America

2018 - Australia

2022 - North America

2026 - Asia

2030 - Eastern Europe, for the first time

2034 - Africa

2038 - South America

2042 - New Zeland

2046 - North America

2050 - Asia

2054 - Western Europe... then Benelux will have a chance

It's not decided, but everything (FIFA and Lula, our president) indicates that it will be held in Brazil.

however, if CBF (Brazilian FA) organizes the gig, this WC may be a complete failure, since they are a bunch of thieves who don't give a damn about football. we don't have one single stadium that could be used. our stadia are falling to pieces. everything should be brand new, including facilities such as new underground lines to the stadia.

toon h wrote:where does the 2014 WC go to? Is it decided yet? If that's not China, it will definitely go there the time after that.

todo_poderoso_timão wrote:Western Europe should host a WC again in... 2054. I mean, if FIFA began to play it fairly...

2010 - South Africa

2014 - South America

2018 - Australia

2022 - North America

2026 - Asia

2030 - Eastern Europe, for the first time

2034 - Africa

2038 - South America

2042 - New Zeland

2046 - North America

2050 - Asia

2054 - Western Europe... then Benelux will have a chance

that's not fair. Oceania only has two countries and North America only 3. Europe, meanwhile has about 50 countries. Why should they have the same amount of WC's as the others? South America only has about 15 countries as well.

Surely China will have the WC for either 2014 or 2018.

I'm assuming he's counting all the Polynesian islands as part of Oceania - aswell as perhaps the philipines, Papa New Guinea et al.

Perhaps he's doing the same with the central american's as far as "north america" goes.

I do agree with you though; out of those 2 continents only really Mexico, the US and Australia has the interest in the game, the fanbase and the capabilities to host such an event.

I don't see, with all due respect, why a world cup should go to New Zealand - are they even interested in the sport?

Obispo wrote:I'm assuming he's counting all the Polynesian islands as part of Oceania - aswell as perhaps the philipines, Papa New Guinea et al.

Perhaps he's doing the same with the central american's as far as "north america" goes.

I do agree with you though; out of those 2 continents only really Mexico, the US and Australia has the interest in the game, the fanbase and the capabilities to host such an event.

I don't see, with all due respect, why a world cup should go to New Zealand - are they even interested in the sport?

I suppose Fiji will be organizing it in 2070 then.

it was partly a joke. I just forgot to put the LOL face in the end...

anyway, the thing could be divided like this:

europe

americas

africa

asia/oceania

each continent could have a WC every 16 years. that would be the ideal thing IMO.

but the last WC in a 3rd world country was in Mexico in 1986, when it was not so big a business. I really fear this WC in Africa may be the last WC in a 3rd world country if things don't run as smoothly as expected. there's too much money involved, and rich 1st world tourists are often scared to travel to poor countries.

besides, the infrastructure (transportation, security, stadia) in those countries are obviously worse than in Europe/USA/Australia/Japan.

anyway, up to now there have been:

10 WCs in Europe

4 WCs in SA

3 WCs in North America

1 WC in Asia

a question out of curiosity, a bit of a wind up: considering that European teams have never won a WC outside their continent, how many world cups do you think Europe would have won if the hosting thing had been divided equally?

toon h wrote:

todo_poderoso_timão wrote:Western Europe should host a WC again in... 2054. I mean, if FIFA began to play it fairly...

2010 - South Africa

2014 - South America

2018 - Australia

2022 - North America

2026 - Asia

2030 - Eastern Europe, for the first time

2034 - Africa

2038 - South America

2042 - New Zeland

2046 - North America

2050 - Asia

2054 - Western Europe... then Benelux will have a chance

that's not fair. Oceania only has two countries and North America only 3. Europe, meanwhile has about 50 countries. Why should they have the same amount of WC's as the others? South America only has about 15 countries as well.

Surely China will have the WC for either 2014 or 2018.

todo_poderoso_timão wrote:a question out of curiosity, a bit of a wind up: considering that European teams have never won a WC outside their continent, how many world cups do you think Europe would have won if the hosting thing had been divided equally?

then again, there have been many more world cups in Europe, so the South American countries have also had more opportunities to win it outside of their own continent (14 times out of 18 WC's), whereas Europe only have had 8 opportunities.

you're right on that.

however, there have been 4 WC's outside Europe and SA. and SA have won the four of them!

I'd say if the hosting thing had been divided equally, Europe would probably have won outside European soil, but I guess they would have won less than their current 9 titles.

toon h wrote:

todo_poderoso_timão wrote:a question out of curiosity, a bit of a wind up: considering that European teams have never won a WC outside their continent, how many world cups do you think Europe would have won if the hosting thing had been divided equally?

then again, there have been many more world cups in Europe, so the South American countries have also had more opportunities to win it outside of their own continent (14 times out of 18 WC's), whereas Europe only have had 8 opportunities.

some may argue that America is one continent, BTW, in which case the WC has only been held on two continents.