Inside World Football - Page 2067 of 2165 - For the Business of Football

David Owen: Compelling night of theatre as schmoozing hits new heights

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.

Archive

Eddie makes poignant impression as England roll out their big guns

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.

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Spanish bid leader hits out at English media and praises FIFA Executive Committee

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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.

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Underdogs catch romantic spirit but lack heavyweight punch

Holland and Belgium

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.

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Putin absence gives hope to World Cup 2018 bidders

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.

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Exclusive: World Cup voting set to remain a mystery

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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.

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Clinton fails to persuade as US miss a trick

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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.

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Japan’s “Big Idea” could be the biggest of the lot

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.

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Qatar turns up the heat by asking: “When?”

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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.

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Korea World Cup “would serve as a gateway for lasting peace”

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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.

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Australia off to a bouncing start with the Elle and Skippy show

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By David Owen in Zurich

December 1 – Australia got today’s 2022 World Cup bid presentations off to an endearing start in FIFA’s home city of Zurich this afternoon, with supermodel Elle Macpherson (pictured) sharing top billing with a kleptomaniac animated kangaroo.

Columnists

Rodney Marsh: United States a certainty to host 2022 World Cup

Rodney Marsh(1)

The destination of the 2018 World Cup finals is about to be revealed in Zurich, and for my money that destination will be Spain-Portugal.

But however it turns out, there is no doubt in my mind where the 2022 finals are heading – the United States.

The US withdrew their bid for the 2018 World Cup because, according to the chairman of their bid committee, Sunil Gulati, they had no chance of winning it and they want to concentrate on bidding for the World Cup after that.

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Vote momentum swinging in England’s favour claims Beckham

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By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich

December 1 – David Beckham is convinced the World Cup momentum is swinging back in England’s favour as the odds on who will stage the 2018 and 2022 tournaments continued to fluctuate today.

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Japan pulls out an ace for final World Cup bid presentation

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December 1 – Japan’s 2022 World Cup Bid Committee has pulled out its ace by announcing that Sir Howard Stringer, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Sony Corporation, will join its final presentation to the FIFA Executive Committee today.

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Oceania to miss out on World Cup vote

Reynald Temarii(1)

By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich

December 1 – The numbers of voters at tomorrow’s double World Cup ballot will remain at 22 after Reynald Temarii dramatically refused to resign from FIFA’s Executive Committee leaving Oceania without a say in deciding the host nations for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.