April 7 – Australia will lose its bid to host the 2018 World Cup, but win 2022, according to John O’Neill (pictured), the man credited with modernising the sport in the country and giving it the platform to launch a campaign.
O’Neill took over as the chief executive of Football Federation Australia (FFA) in 2007, inheriting debts of $16 million (£10 million).
Under his guidance, the A-League was established – Australia’s first proper national competition – and he appointed as coach Guus Hiddink, who guided the Socceroos to the finals of the World Cup at Germany in 2006, the first time they had qualified since 1974.
O’Neil, who returned to his former role as chief executive of the Australian Rugby Union (ARU), in 2007 claimed that Australia would not win the contest to host the 2018 World Cup because that had already been promised to Europe but that they were favourites for the 2022 tournament.
He said: ”I think they will win 2022.
“My personal view is that 2018 may well have to go back to Europe for financial reasons.
“The one thing about FIFA is that it is a very unpredictable entity.
”The 2022 World Cup is a more realistic prospect, but it depends on who may jump out of the woodwork.
“I understand the USA is hovering and Qatar has put their hands up.
“But if FIFA is serious about the global game, the one region that has not hosted a World Cup is the Pacific or Oceania.
”The only country in the Pacific region that can host the World Cup is Australia, and I would be putting my money on 2022.”
But O’Neill, who was speaking at a special chief executives luncheon at Tattersalls Club in Sydney attended by Ben Buckley, his successor at the FFA, also warned that if Australia are awarded the World Cup then there would be serious issues to address as it would clash with the ARU season as well as those of the National Rugby League and Australian Football League.
He said: ”It [World Cup] will have an impact on the other sports, as it fits in the June to July window, which is a hotly contested environment.
“We all defend our turf.
“We understand none of the sports are going to sit by and watch their competitor try and overtake them.
“That’s the nature of business and sport.”
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