by debaser Wed Nov 12, 2008 8:06 pm
Barack Obama's election could derail England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup, according to a "high-placed" Fifa official. The unnamed source told Yahoo Sports that Obama's popularity will be "a huge factor" in deciding whether the USA is selected to host either the 2018 or 2022 tournaments.
"How can it not make a difference," said the source. "Now when you think of America, you don't think George W Bush or war, you think of this man, Obama, who has made history and given hope to millions. The men who vote on World Cup hosts are not immune to those same feelings. If the US bid stacks up in terms of infrastructure and organization, then Obama could be a huge factor."
While the FA have confirmed that England will be in the running to host the 2018 tournament, US Soccer is waiting for Fifa to clarify the bidding rules before making an announcement. US Soccer President, Sunil Gulati, has said that the organisation intends to bid "in an aggressive fashion" as soon as Fifa clarify whether nations will be forced to choose which World Cup to bid for, or if they will be allowed to put forward for both 2018 and 2022.
"We know we would stage a terrific World Cup and having people view us as a nation in a better way is a positive," Gulati commented. "Anything that enhances the perceived views of the United States can only be a positive for us.
"It was very clear from the reaction around the world just how popular this result has been. This election has given a lot of people a reason to cheer."
Even if he wins a second term, Obama will no longer be in office by 2018. The winning bid will be determined, however, by a vote in 2011 - before the end of Obama's first term.
Fifa president Sepp Blatter is expected to visit Obama at the White House next year. Earlier this year Obama revealed that he had been a West Ham fan since he visited England in 2003. He can often be seen pitch-side at his daughter's soccer games in Chicago.
His election is also believed to be likely to have a galvanizing effect on Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Olympics, meaning that, as in the 1990s, the USA could host the two biggest sports tournaments on the planet in the space of two years.
As well as England, Spain and Portugal have also confirmed their interest in co-hosting the 2018 tournament, while this morning the Dutch and Belgian football associations agreed to establish a joint foundation to prepare their own bid. Qatar, Russia and Australia are all also in the running.
Obama-fever is getting silly. Newspapers shoehorn him into every article in existence. But even though this is nonsense, it should be re-iterated that USA really really really shouldn't be getting another world cup so soon.
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