Marquee
3.7K
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5.4K
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over 11 years

it is different, but it shows they can make tough calls. Also, a lot of players and clubs would be far happier with a tournament outside of Qatar at that time of year.

If the corruption is clear and all the way to the top I hope they pull the pin.

Starting XI
1.4K
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4.5K
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over 16 years

MetalLegNZ wrote:

It can still be pulled - Fifa did just do that with the u17 tournament - so there is precedent, and the timing is a lot further away. Qatar's fault and waste of money.

Australia and NZ to host - part of a joint oceania and asia bid.

yeah U17 & U20 alot easier to pull, as no one will build stadiums for them just use existing ones

FIFA will just do what they always do and say nothing to see here - remember they allowed Argentina 78 to go ahead when the country was being run by a military junta and many 1000's of people "disappeared" 

And given they even let the US hold it despite their numerous human rights abuses and war crimes then nearly anyone can.

Marquee
1.7K
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7.5K
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almost 17 years

Yakcall wrote:

Former UEFA President Michel Platini was taken into custody as part of a corruption investigation over the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, French financial prosecutor's spokesperson says https://edition-m.cnn.com/2019/06/18/football/michel-platini-2022-world-cup-arrest-intl/index.html

This is massive. Surely if its proven they can't go ahead with the world Cup in Qatar. Would be a massive fudge you to the sharkty Qatari elites and their abhorrent understandings of human rights. Fudge Platini, fudge Qatar. 

FIFA don't give a fudge.  If they gave a fudge they wouldn't have given it to them in the first place.  How many death's of indentured slaves are on the hands of the corrupt FIFA official's now? 10's? 100's? We don't know, and we don't know because FIFA couldn't care less.

Legend
2.3K
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17K
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almost 17 years

Leaked reports suggest that FIFA are holding secret meetings to find a replacement country for the World Cup.

Please please please please please.

valeo
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Legend
4.6K
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18K
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almost 17 years

Buffon II wrote:

Leaked reports suggest that FIFA are holding secret meetings to find a replacement country for the World Cup.

Please please please please please.

If this happens I'd genuinely consider going. Qatar have had a whole lot of political problems over the last couple of years and money isn't what it used to be.

Can't see it happening, though. It's been 9 years since the bid was accepted.

Marquee
1.7K
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7.5K
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almost 17 years

Buffon II wrote:

Leaked reports suggest that FIFA are holding secret meetings to find a replacement country for the World Cup.

Please please please please please.

I hope two things:

1) FIFA pulls World Cup from Qatar.

2) Qatar throws a massive tantrum and reveals/leaks all the details of the corrupt officials in revenge.

Marquee
3.3K
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5.1K
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almost 13 years

aitkenmike wrote:

Buffon II wrote:

Leaked reports suggest that FIFA are holding secret meetings to find a replacement country for the World Cup.

Please please please please please.

I hope two things:

1) FIFA pulls World Cup from Qatar.

2) Qatar throws a massive tantrum and reveals/leaks all the details of the corrupt officials in revenge.

That would be a dream come true if that happen

First Team Squad
1.2K
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1K
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over 14 years

I spent time in Qatar in 2004, and it was a really nice place.  After the start of the whole World Cup bid process thing, it changed massively, and not for the better in a lot of ways.  The whole objective was to positively raise the profile of their country - and instead they've made it a by-word for so many negative things...  if they lose hosting now, that debacle will have come full circle...bizarre...

LG
Legend
5.5K
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23K
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over 16 years

I wonder how many of these found their way into influential hands, Someone in France currently might be able to answer that whilst being interviewed.

Starting XI
2K
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4.7K
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almost 17 years

Buffon II wrote:

Leaked reports suggest that FIFA are holding secret meetings to find a replacement country for the World Cup.

Please please please please please.

London could host it on its own.  England/UK would not need to do a thing plus it was one of the original bidders.

First Team Squad
320
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1.4K
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over 16 years

Marto wrote:

Buffon II wrote:

Leaked reports suggest that FIFA are holding secret meetings to find a replacement country for the World Cup.

Please please please please please.

London could host it on its own.  England/UK would not need to do a thing plus it was one of the original bidders.

What leaked reports? Anyone else see anything in the media?

Marquee
3.7K
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5.4K
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over 11 years

Found some on Google a couple days ago - mainly the Sun and a couple the media outlets (football focused not main media)

Legend
11K
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21K
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almost 9 years
Pots have been announced for World Cup draw. 4 pots of 8 teams, with 3 Playoff winners to go into Pot 4, that also includes Canada.

https://bolavip.com/en/soccer/qatar-2022-pots-for-the-fifa-world-cup-group-stage-draw-20220330-0044.html


Phoenix Academy
280
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350
·
over 8 years
coochiee
Pots have been announced for World Cup draw. 4 pots of 8 teams, with 3 Playoff winners to go into Pot 4, that also includes Canada.

https://bolavip.com/en/soccer/qatar-2022-pots-for-the-fifa-world-cup-group-stage-draw-20220330-0044.html


 If I have understood correctly, because we are paired with Coast Rica we can't be drawn into the same group as Mexico, USA from pot 2 which narrows our potential opponents from pot 2 to one of Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Croatia, Uruguay.  Now to figure out if our odds of Qatar from pot 1 are greater than or less than 1/8
Phoenix Academy
1.1K
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460
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over 2 years
Everyone's champing at the bit to draw Qatar but you just know how horrendous the hometown calls will be when facing them it's not even worth it. Best to steer clear and just see how you fare against the rest of the top 8, whom a match up against will be an incredible affair regardless of result.
Trialist
94
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120
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about 11 years
So tough group IF we can navigate our way past Costa Rica in June's playoff. 

Spain
Germany
Japan
New Zealand/ Costa Rica
First Team Squad
1.2K
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1K
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over 14 years
Wow.  Yes I believe "challenging" is the euphemism...
Legend
2.3K
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17K
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almost 17 years
May as well not bother.
First Team Squad
2K
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1.9K
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almost 17 years
If we get past Costa Rica, that is the worst possible group to get!
Phoenix Academy
1.1K
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460
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over 2 years
Oh jeepers. Oh dear. Hmmmm. I see.. that's er... a um tough one.

Welp we owe Japan one after the heartbreak at the Olympics...
Life and death
2.4K
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5.5K
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almost 17 years
Remember when we drew with Italy and should of beaten Paraguay? Its a world cup, anything could happen.
Marquee
2.7K
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7.2K
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almost 17 years
Not the group I was hoping for (if we make it that is). To me that's the group of death! 
I suppose just being there for us is a bit like winning the WC and there are other benefits, such as
A) big windfall from FIFA
B) sponsorship for the AWs
C) increased visibility of our talent
D) Inspiration for younger players 

That's not to be sniffed at, but seriously, Spain, Germany AND Japan? FFS! 
Starting XI
910
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2.3K
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almost 12 years
Full draw is out, if we get past Costa Rica we’ll play Spain on Wednesday the 23rd of November, Japan on Sunday the 27th and then Germany on Thursday the 1st of December. Then, since why not be a little ambitious lol, a potential knockout game against a team from Group F (maybe Belgium?) on the 5th or the 6th. 
WeeNix
390
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900
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almost 11 years
What an awesome group. Would rather play Spain and Germany than Qatar, Iran, Canada type sides. 
WeeNix
780
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510
·
almost 7 years
I just hope that if we get there we give it a real go. I hope we back ourselves to be attacking, positive, and creative, and not sit back with a defensive mindset and formation i.e. 5 at the back. 
Starting XI
6.7K
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4.5K
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over 9 years
Great draw. It's a World Cup, if we get there we want to be playing the best. 

Add to that, just imagine the exposure our boys will get across the globe, especially if we can run quality sides close.

Still need to get there of course, and Costa Rica won't be a cakewalk. But if I were a footballer playing for my country on the world stage, Germany and Spain at a World Cup would be an absolute dream.
WeeNix
740
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620
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over 15 years
Playing Germany genuinely terrifies me, however the other two not so much. I think we could deal with the Spanish slow build up style on a good day, and Japan are a good side but beatable.

Still, let's get past Costa Rica before getting too worried about all that
WeeNix
600
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920
·
almost 9 years
UK_ALLWHITE
So tough group IF we can navigate our way past Costa Rica in June's playoff. 

Spain
Germany
Japan
New Zealand/ Costa Rica

Tough group for Costa Rica!
Legend
8K
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14K
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over 16 years
Smeltz4PM
Playing Germany genuinely terrifies me, however the other two not so much. I think we could deal with the Spanish slow build up style on a good day, and Japan are a good side but beatable.

Still, let's get past Costa Rica before getting too worried about all that

playing Italy in 2010 worried us all and we know how that finished! Any group was going to be challenging, we can beat Japan, and if we catch the spanish or Germans on a bad day we might pinch one. The spanish could well be vulnerable to a frustrating defensive counter attack game. Germans WE just hang on and hope it goes ok,
First Team Squad
1.2K
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1K
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over 14 years
Rusty Dunks
UK_ALLWHITE
So tough group IF we can navigate our way past Costa Rica in June's playoff. 

Spain
Germany
Japan
New Zealand/ Costa Rica

Tough group for Costa Rica!
Muss, behave
Legend
11K
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21K
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almost 9 years
Rusty Dunks
UK_ALLWHITE
So tough group IF we can navigate our way past Costa Rica in June's playoff. 

Spain
Germany
Japan
New Zealand/ Costa Rica

Tough group for Costa Rica!

What were the Costa Ricans doing in 1945, when we were giving the Hun and Japanese a good whupping? Exactly. Nothing.

Pity Italy ain't Spain, to give us an easy Axis Powers trifecta.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/128246493/all-whites-to-play-spain-germany-japan-if-they-beat-costa-rica-in-world-cup-playoff

Starting XI
2K
·
4.7K
·
almost 17 years
Gutted at our potential group for personal reasons (living in England with an Iranian wife so would have loved that group) but still will be very good watching.

Tickets are selling fast, 1st round of tickets gone already even though there is insufficient accommodation etc.  Might be quite hard for us to get tickets if we qualify.

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