By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
December 2 – So much for top-ranked technical and evaluation reports, Princes and Prime Ministers, an impeccable final presentation, words of commendation from FIFA President Sepp Blatter, history and tradition.
By Duncan Mackay in Zurich
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
December 2 – Qatar were awarded the 2022 World Cup by FIFA’s Executive Committee, it was announced here today.
By Duncan Mackay in Zurich
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
December 2 – Russia were awarded the 2018 World Cup as England were knocked out in the first round of voting here today.
By David Owen in Zurich
December 2 – Hosting the World Cup would help Russians in their quest to build a new country and overcome the difficulties they faced in the 20th century, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov told FIFA today, as Russia brought down the curtain on an intensive two days of bid presentations.
By Mihir Bose in Zurich
December 2 – Ricardo Teixeria the FIFA executive member from Brazil, whose vote could decide the hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, faces a date in court back home.
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In one corner of the room in one of Switzerland’s plushest hotels, the unmistakable figure of Chuck Blazer, FIFA’s Tweeting Executive Committee member, holds court.
On the other side of a large Christmas tree, a Boys’ Own triumvirate of David Beckham, Gary Lineker and Fabio Capello cluster around a small coffee table.
Nearby, English Premier League boss Richard Scudamore has been doing his bit, engaging the Asian Football Confederation chairman and Qatari ExCo member Mohamed Bin Hammam in earnest conversation for quite some time.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
December 2 – England’s 2018 World Cup bid team rolled out their big guns to make a final plea to FIFA here today but it was a 27-year-old from a disadvantaged background who made the most poignant impression.
By Duncan Mackay in Zurich
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
December 2 -·Angel Maria Villar Llona, who has conducted a one-man campaign on behalf of Spain and Portugal’s joint bid to host the 2018 World Cup, today faced head-on allegations that they were involved in collusion.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
December 2 – Underdogs Holland and Belgium kicked off the 2018 World Cup presentations to FIFA today but lacked sufficient punch to suggest they might pull in extra support later in the day.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
December 1 – The race to stage the 2018 and 2022 World Cups reaches a nail-biting climax tomorrow with Spain/Portugal and England emerging as potential opponents for the final round of bidding for 2018 and the United States out in front for the latter tournament.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
December 1 – The nine bidders involved in tomorrow’s 2018 and 2022 World Cup ballots may never know how many votes they won and lost during the entire process.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
December 1 – It started optimistically with phrases like “a true melting pot of passion, dreams and hope” and being the most diverse nation on earth.
By David Owen in Zurich
December 1 – There is no doubt about the biggest ‘Big Idea’ to have emerged during this 2022 World Cup hosting competition.
By David Owen in Zurich
December 1 – After the glitz and razzmatazz of their money-no-object campaign, the Qatar bid team treated FIFA’s top brass to a serious-minded presentation that was comparatively low on frills in Zurich this afternoon.
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
December 1 – South Korea used the prospect of better relations with the north of the peninsula to maximum effect when they made their final 2022 World Cup presentation to FIFA’s executive committee today.