September 29 – Mexico has withdrawn its bid to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, claiming that they could not afford it during the current economic crisis.
Mexico faced competition from their northern neighbours United States as well as England but had hoped to become the first nation to host three World Cups nonetheless.
But fading economy and a lack of resources apparently forced the Mexican Football Federation’s (FMF) to scrap the bid.
They said in a statement: “The decision is based on two premises: the global economic environment and the required infusion of funds towards infrastructure.
“The global economic environment and the deadlines do not allow for the authorities from the federation, nor the local and federal governments, to secure the finances necessary for the types of construction projects necessary for an event of this magnitude.”
Mexico hosted the World Cup for the first time in 1970 and stepped in as a late replacement for Colombia’s ultimately failed 1986 effort.
Mexico’s Estadio Azteca remains the only stadium in the world to play host to two World Cup finals.
However, Mexico’s stadiums, while in working order, are not the modern facilities found throughout the US, and an enormous financial investment would likely have been necessary to match the stadiums in England.
Chivas and Santos are set to open new stadiums soon while another is in the works in Monterrey but an overhaul of existing stadiums would likely be the minimum requirement that would have boosted World Cup bid.
The statement said: “In Mexico, we have the sufficient number of stadiums to hold the event but the majority of the stadiums were built several years ago under FIFA’s former standards.”
In South Africa, an estimated $1.4 billion (£881 million) has been spent on constructing nine stadiums in order to host the World Cup, according to reports. Brazil will need to spend in excess of $1 billion (£629 million) to upgrade existing stadiums in order to pull off the 2014 World Cup, according to reports.
Now that Mexico have pulled out, the remaining World Cup hopes for 2018 and 2022 fall to Australia, Indonesia, Japan and Russia, along with the US and England. Belgium and Holland as well as Spain and Portugal submitted joint bids.
Qatar and South Korea have bid for the 2022 World Cup only.
FIFA are due to annouce the hosts for both the 2018 and 2022 tournaments at a meeting on December 2, 2010.