By David Gold
July 4 – The Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee has concluded that the Football Association’s “historic disengagement” from FIFA was a key cause in their failure to win the right to host the 2018 World Cup.
Evidence given to the Committee in May, particularly by communications expert Mike Lee, who worked on the successful World Cup 2022 bid, criticised England for its arrogance.
Scrutiny was placed on the vice-presidential post that the four home nations – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – is guaranteed, as well as their domination of the rules making body which governs the game.
These roles have angered some of England’s rivals on the international stage and caused resentment which they have been urged to build relationships to combat.
The Committee also suggested that the Football Association should work with other national associations to build a consensus for change.
“Historic disengagement from FIFA is preventing England from bidding successfully for international football tournaments, and from attracting the wider benefits for the game and the country that hosting such tournaments entails,” the report said.
“Lessons did not appear to have been learned from previous studies with regard to the composition and unity of the bid team, and the messages it needed to project.”
The report noted that England had failed to heed the lessons from 2000, when they failed to land the right to host the 2006 tournament.
An investigation into the causes of that failure concluded that England had not built the relationships necessary to exert influence in FIFA circles.
The FA has also been urged to conduct a review similar to the one held in 2000.
“Lessons did not appear to have been learned from previous studies with regard to the composition and unity of the bid team, and the messages it needed to project.
“The groundwork for a successful bid had not been laid effectively with football’s international bodies.
“We urge the FA to conduct a review of the 2018 bid along the lines of its 2006 bid report, and to review its longer term strategy for engaging with FIFA and other international football authorities with a view to increasing its influence, including with regard to governance reform.”
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