Chechnya launches appeal to host 2018 World Cup matches
December 7 – Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov has claimed that he hopes the Republic’s capital Grozny will be chosen to host a match when Russia stages the World Cup in 2018.
Exclusive: Ethics member warns FIFA “in big trouble” over “lunacy” of Qatar decision
By Andrew Warshaw
December 7 – A member of FIFA’s own Ethics Committee has sensationally questioned Qatar being awarded the 2022 World Cup as suspicions continue to plague the tiny Middle East state’s credentials.
FIFA allegations force Switzerland to confront corruption fears
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
December 7 – Switzerland is concerned about the number of sports federations based there who have been accused of corruption, the country’s Sports Minister Ueli Maurer admitted today.
Sunday Times and Panorama sunk England 2018 World Cup bid says FIFA Executive Committee member
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
December 7 – Some FIFA Executive Committee members believed that the accusations of corruption levelled at them by the Sunday Times·were motivated by racism, Japan’s World Cup bid leader·Junji Ogura claimed today.
Jim Cowan: Vitriol aimed at Qatar is uninformed ignorance
The uninformed, largely bigoted vitriol being aimed at Qatar after they were awarded the World Cup 2022 would it appear, be for no other reason than they had a successful bid.
I should declare in advance that I am a “fan” of many of the Gulf nations having worked in and visited a number of them, including Qatar.
Legacy is important to FIFA, something we have largely ignored in England when reacting to the allocation of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Exclusive: Resign from FIFA ExCo over England 2018? Of course I haven’t says Thompson successor
By Andrew Warshaw
December 6 – Future FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce today denied he had given up the post in protest at England’s 2018 World Cup elimination.
England’s failed World Cup bid was “League One, not Premier League” says Qatar mastermind
By Andrew Warshaw
December 6 – The man behind Qatar’s successful marketing campaign for the 2022 World Cup says England’s failure to secure the event in 2018 is as much down to their own failings as any perceived broken promises by FIFA voting members.
Exclusive: London Mayor admits FIFA Executive Committee members may still stay at The Dorchester
By Tom Degun in London
December 6 – London Mayor Boris Johnson has admitted that he may not be able to prevent members of FIFA’s Executive Committee from staying at the exclusive Dorchester Hotel during the London 2012 Olympics despite him withdrawing his offer for them to stay there.
Exclusive: Sorokin fought off malaria to clinch Russia’s World Cup dream
By David Owen
December 6 – Russian World Cup bid leader Alexei Sorokin (pictured) was struck by malaria during his country’s successful campaign to win the right to host the 2018 World Cup.
Horne calls for World Cup vote “filter” system to avoid wasting millions
By Andrew Warshaw
December 5 – The general secretary of the Football Association believes FIFA should introduce a filtration process to prevent World Cup bidding nations needlessly throwing away an entire budget.
Beckenbauer wants winter World Cup in Qatar to beat the heat
By Andrew Warshaw
December 4 – The 2022 World Cup in Qatar should take place in January or February to avoid the scorching temperatures of the summer, according to FIFA Executive Committee member and German legend Franz Beckenbauer (pictured).
Acting FA chairman quits in row over World Cup voting
By Duncan Mackay in Zurich
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
December 3 – The Football Association’s acting chairman Roger Burden (pictured) tonight said he will quit because he no longer trusts members of FIFA after the failure of England’s World Cup bid.
“I still can’t believe it” says England 2018 bid leader
By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
December 3 – After the night of the long knives for England’s vanquished 2018 World Cup bid, the post-mortems intensified today when campaign leader Andy Anson renewed his attack on FIFA”s bidding process.
Tottenham refuse to consult fans over Olympic Stadium move
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
December 3 – Tottenham Hotspur today ruled out holding a referendum among its supporters to see if they back a proposed move to the Olympic Stadium in East London.
Exclusive: How the FIFA Executive Committee members voted
By David Owen in Zurich
December 3 – FIFA does not reveal how individual Executive Committee members cast their votes.