Date created : 22/05/2019 - 22:19Latest update : 22/05/2019 - 22:21 FIFA scrapped plans to expand the 2022 Qatar World Cup to 48 nations, deciding Wednesday to stick with 32 countries due to the political and logistical complexities of using another Persian Gulf nation. FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s hopes of expanding the Middle East’s first World Cup in the region were stymied by the regional diplomatic crisis and the governing body’s demands on host nations to adhere to its human and labor rights requirements. That means the World Cup will not be expanded until 2026, with FIFA already having approved a format with 48 teams for that tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.A meeting of the FIFA Council in March authorized Infantino to work with Qatar on seeing if it was feasible to use at least one more country in the region to accommodate an additional 16 matches and present a proposal at meetings in June.“Following a thorough and … [Read more...] about FIFA scraps plan to expand 2022 Qatar World Cup to 48 teams
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Guam’s Matao will face Bhutan in June in FIFA World Cup qualifier
Jojo Santo Tomas Pacific Daily News Published 1:23 AM EDT Apr 19, 2019 Guam’s men’s national soccer team, the Matao, will face Bhutan in June in an early qualifier for the FIFA World Cup, set for Qatar in 2022. The news came as a result of the draw for the Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 1 for both the FIFA World Cup and the AFC Asian Cup 2023. The draw was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 17. The news was shared on the Asian Football Confederation’s official website. It stated, “Seeded teams Malaysia, Cambodia, Macau, Laos, Bhutan and Mongolia were handed challenging fixtures for a place in the next qualifying round.” Unlike Guam’s participation in the last World Cup qualifier four years ago, where it had several weeks between its two matches against Iran, Guam will face Bhutan twice within a week's time. One match will be held in Bhutan and the other on Guam. The first game is scheduled for June 6, the … [Read more...] about Guam’s Matao will face Bhutan in June in FIFA World Cup qualifier
‘British Knight’ Offered to Cancel 2022 Qatar World Cup for £5.5 Mln
Sir Lynton Crosby offered a pitch ‘Project Ball,' which described a number of actions by his lobbying firm CTF Partners aimed to cancel the 2022 Qatar World Cup in return for £5.5 million. In other news. Prince Charles just knighted Sir Lynton Crosby: pic.twitter.com/rwMhP4sALW — Harry Cole (@MrHarryCole) May 6, 2016 According to leaked documents, Sir Lynton was prepared to spread negative stories about Qatar in the media, run fake grassroots campaigns on social media, and lobby his contacts in politics and academia. He would also create and perpetuate a narrative including the idea of linking the state's activities to terrorism in the minds of the public. The Australian has reportedly said firm would require £300,000 a month for a year and a half to smear the Qatari government pressure FIFA to 'restart the bidding process,' to ultimately have another nation … [Read more...] about ‘British Knight’ Offered to Cancel 2022 Qatar World Cup for £5.5 Mln
Guardian: Lynton Crosby offered to undermine 2022 Qatar World Cup
One of the world's best-known political operatives offered to work on a campaign to cancel the 2022 Qatar World Cup, according to documents seen by the Guardian newspaper. Sir Lynton Crosby, a UK-based Australian political strategist, personally signed the pitch that aimed to tarnish Qatar's reputation to get football's biggest event awarded to another country, the Guardian reported on Sunday. Crosby requested the equivalent of $6.4m payable to his lobbying firm, CTF Partners, for a campaign "that would associate Doha with terrorism in the minds of the public", according to the report. His services would also include putting pressure on FIFA to "restart the bidding process", said Crosby. The document named "Project Ball" said CTF Partners could set up full-time war rooms around the world to spread negative stories about Qatar in the mainstream media, run fake grassroots campaigns on social media, and lobby potentially friendly politicians, journalists and academics. The pitch was seen … [Read more...] about Guardian: Lynton Crosby offered to undermine 2022 Qatar World Cup
Revealed: Lynton Crosby’s £5.5m offer to undermine 2022 Qatar World Cup
Sir Lynton Crosby offered to work on a campaign to cancel the 2022 Qatar World Cup and get it awarded to another country in return for £5.5m, according to a leaked plan that gives a rare insight into the activities of one of the world’s best-known political operatives. The detailed pitch document – “a proposal for a campaign to expose the truth of the Qatar regime and bring about the termination of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar” – was written in April last year and personally signed by Crosby. He said that if engaged, his lobbying firm, CTF Partners, would require £300,000 a month for 18 months to focus on efforts to delegitimise the Qatari government and put pressure on Fifa to “restart the bidding process” and award the World Cup to another country. As part of the pitch document, named “Project Ball”, Crosby said CTF Partners could set up full-time war rooms around the world to spread negative stories about Qatar in the … [Read more...] about Revealed: Lynton Crosby’s £5.5m offer to undermine 2022 Qatar World Cup