 Nasty Boy Tosses Sand in Kindergarten. The delegates of FIFA have voted, early Wednesday, to award the 2026 World Cup to a combine of the U.S.A. and its dear, highly-respected neighbors, Canada and Mexico. The United group defeated Morocco, 134-65, thereby rendering moot the concerns that delegates would be swayed by disdain for Goliath and its current president, or respect for the African bidder, or the grand old FIFA tradition of packets of (American) dollars. There was a last-minute appeal by dignified Moroccan supporters, speaking up for the vast love of soccer in Africa, the supply of African footballers being recruited by the fast leagues of Europe, the worthiness of the Moroccan bid, and the fact of Africa as the birthplace of civilization. But the three North American nations won. I must note that I heard about the possibility of a tripartite World Cup many years ago from Sunil Gulati, the former president of the U.S. federation. Gulati deserves some of the credit for this success, which took place with a new American president spewing contempt for its closest neighbors. This is what I wrote before Wednesday's vote in Moscow: * * * Any vote in the soccer federation known as FIFA is always suspect, given the history of blatant bribery that let to Russia being host to the looming World Cup and that soccer power of Qatar being the host in 2022. Qatar! The new leadership of FIFA keeps insisting it has cleaned up the influence-peddling scandal that extended to American officials including the late Chuck Blazer in his lair in the Trump Tower, and who knows who else. FIFA is continuing its money-grubbing tradition by expanding future World Cups to 48 teams (perhaps the U.S. will then be able to qualify) and by considering lucrative club tournament Cups that would put the well-paid players on a faster, longer hamster wheel of games and travel, injury and early disintegration. The FIFA home office has released a technical survey showing that the North American group – henceforth known as The Three Amigos – is vastly superior to the Moroccan bid in little details like stadiums, infrastructure, soccer expertise, money-making potential. But, as in the United States these days, facts and studies and information are not always considered. First, do not emphasize the grand old FIFA tradition of envelopes stuffed with dollars going to delegates in return for their votes. Second, by exquisite coincidence, the vote takes place at the same time the U.S. has gone rogue, electing a disturbed person as president. While the leader of the fact-free world is blustering in Singapore, the delegates to the FIFA will gather in Moscow on Wednesday, June 13, to choose the 2026 host. Sports federations have voted on the U.S. in the recent past. The International Olympic Committee voted for the Olympic host, and to some degree New York (2008) and Chicago (2012) were judged in the wake of President George W. Bush’s blundering into the invasion of Iraq in 2003, thereby throwing the world into chaos. The I.O.C. delegates – generally of a far higher caliber than the avaricious voters from tiny countries in FIFA – saw the smoke emitting from the Middle East and witnessed the dead and the migrants and voted for London and Rio – reasonable votes, producing memorable Olympics, no quarrel there. But the U.S. never had a chance, given its image as a Goliath-gone-mad. Now the FIFA delegates – a far more rank kettle of fish -- used to selling their votes -- get a chance to judge kick the most powerful member of the soccer troika. Tethered to an ignorant bully are Mexico – vilified by the U.S. president for its migrants who help make the U.S. work – and Canada – charged with burning the White House in 1812, its leader described as “weak.” Forget the lopsided technical evaluation. Overlook the grand FIFA institution of bribes. Morocco’s best chance for staging the 2026 World Cup would seem to be that its chief executive is not named Donald J. Trump. * * * NB: The NYT reports that President Trump has sent three letters to Gianni Infantino of FIFA assuring that the restrictions for visiting the U.S. would not be enforced on well-heeled tourists to a potential 2026 World Cup. See article: www.nytimes.com/2018/06/12/sports/trump-letters-world-cup.html 6/11/2018 06:03:28 pm
I believe that President Trump’s recent performance in Canada at the G7 meeting probably has doomed the United States bid for the 2026 World Cup. Mexico and Canada would probably be wise to resubmit a joint bid on their own. 6/11/2018 06:03:51 pm
Another on-target observance. Is it a coincidence that, when New York lost its bid for the 2012 Olympics, the vote was taken in Singapore?
Brian Savin
6/11/2018 08:10:33 pm
George, you have certainly packed a hell of a lot into this piece, and it is great fun to go through all the info you cited. I’ve got a couple of points to make that I hope might be of use as you help us understand these unfolding events. 6/12/2018 02:50:20 am
I think it will be a close vote. Will the desire to maximize profits for FIFA outweigh the widespread disdain for the USA and the desire to knock it down a peg or two? Infantino has made some big money promises to FIFA member countries and needs to bring in the dough now so he can deliver on them or he won't be re-elected next year(hell, he might not be re-elected anyway if tries to rams this new club tournament down Europe's throat). He's made it pretty clear he wants the World Cup in the USA(let's be honest here, Canada and Mexico are there as camouflage). A 48-team tournament makes it practically an imperative to play in North America. Morocco hasn't, presently, got the infrastructure, it's true. But it's in the same time zone as Europe, it's close to Europe, it's less expensive and more compact for fans than the USA, it's a really wonderful country, an AFRICAN country which is NOT a s---hole, and, above all, it's NOT the United States. If Obama were still President we wouldn't even be having this discussion. But Trump has changed the dynamic, confirming and greatly exacerbating for many their reservations about the US with a series of offensive remarks and an ongoing effort to impose draconian and discriminatory policies on certain foreign visitors. So, yes, to some extent this vote will be a referendum on him and his policies, but it is also a self-examination of FIFA. Another point to keep in mind: there will be some voters who may have reason not to want to put themselves and their friends within the jurisdiction of the US Department of Justice, which probably has not concluded its FIFA investigations and prosecutions. And some voters may just resent that the DOJ ever got involved at all in FIFA's affairs and will not reward the USA with a World Cup under any circumstances. Finally, I have just one word to be kept in mind: Qatar.
George Vecsey
6/12/2018 09:25:58 am
Thanks to first four respondents.
Brian Savin
6/12/2018 06:22:40 pm
Don’t have any idea who the “bidder” is, but I will say that when an organization as corrupt as FIFA has an opportunity to embrace the money that Son has at his disposal, and one recognizes that his incentives are every bit the same as fans, that is the best shot these “former” thugs will have for survival. I see that Trump is on board from your N.B. I think that pretty much cinches it, but I don’t understand why FIFA wouldn’t postpone the vote for negotiation. Probably FIFA is incapable.
George Vecsey
6/13/2018 12:13:54 pm
Brian: I agree with you about FIFA and money, but Son's money would also affect FIFA's priorities and roots in national teams. Not that they don't dilute for money -- hence 48-team WC and November WC in Qatar. Both wretched. Other leagues do the bidding of the master -- Sunday Night baseball, the bane of the players' schedule, and TV timeouts in NFL and NBA. But a whole other WC for clubs? Even FIFA sometimes has sense. GV
Joshua Rubin
6/13/2018 09:35:04 am
From Slate.com's coverage of today's decision:
bruce
6/13/2018 01:45:03 pm
george 6/13/2018 04:28:48 pm
I love Andy Borowitz's humor in the New Yorker.
bruce
6/13/2018 04:42:44 pm
alan,
John McDermott
6/14/2018 09:34:36 am
Probably just another World Cup sidebar, but I will throw it into the discussion anyway. It's been reported this week that Nike has announced they will no longer be providing shoes and other gear to the Iran national team in Russia as to do so would violate US sanctions. This on the day the US was awarded the World Cup, in part, on the strength of three letters from President Trump guaranteeing there wouldn't be any kind of interference with players, officials or fans from countries participating in the World Cup. I guess that just applies to 2026. They can screw with Iran in Russia all they want. Is there no one at Nike big enough to stand up and say NO to this nonsense. Nike should announce that in the name of sportsmanship it's providing the Iranian players with whatever they need to play and that Nike will take care of whatever penalty the US government cares to impose upon it. I get that with the unilateral revocation of the Iran nuclear deal the administration wants to play hard ball with Teheran. But this is embarrassing to American soccer fans. It's extremely petty and makes us look bad as a country. On the other hand, when you look up the word "petty" in the dictionary there's a picture of Donald Trump.
bruce
6/14/2018 09:56:03 am
john,
John McDermott
6/14/2018 11:33:32 am
Everyone knows that it was the “United Bid” of the three North American countries, not the USA. Even I know that. Everyone also knows, or should, that two of the North American countries served as camouflage for the third, where the vast majority of the games will be played, where most of the the money is and where not a few FIFA voters did not want the World Cup to go.
George Vecsey
6/14/2018 10:52:35 am
John, I did not know that about the shoes. Thanks.
bruce
6/14/2018 12:44:08 pm
john, Comments are closed.
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