FIFA Evaluation report boosts Australia’s bid for 2022 FIFA World Cup
The Evaluation Group has publically released the executive summary of each of its reports on the nine bidders for the 2018 or 2022 FIFA World Cup?.
Comprehensive reports on each bidder have been prepared by the Group and submitted to the FIFA Executive Committee before the host country selection on 2 December.
Football Federation Australia CEO Ben Buckley welcomed the release of the report that showed Australia?s was judged as one of the best all round bids.
?Our bid has ticked all of the boxes and our full government guarantees mean we really will be a ?no worries?, friendly and safe option for FIFA and the football fans of the world,? Buckley said.
?We are pleased that the Evaluation Group has confirmed that our bid meets FIFA?s requirements and is well supported by Australian governments and all key stakeholders.
?We think that when FIFA pairs the excellent bid proposal we have prepared with the unparalleled opportunity we offer as a bridge between Asia and Oceania we offer a compelling case for FIFA to take the World Cup to the only continent that has never hosted it.?
Australia?s time zone and geographic location are two of its most compelling strengths in bidding for the FIFA World Cup.
It provides an experienced event delivery partner, a safe pair of hands and a fun, relaxed, safe and secure destination within a region that will be the world?s commercial nucleus in 2022.
Buckley said the massive projected growth in the Asian region would more than offset any reduced revenue from Europe.
?Asia?s middle class is growing rapidly and by 2022 there will be more middle class consumers in Asia than there will be in Europe and North America combined,? Buckley said.
?This will greatly increase the value of television rights in Asia, allowing FIFA the opportunity to more than recoup any potential reduction in income derived from Europe or the Americas.
?Australia offers the opportunity to hold the World Cup in prime time for a region that will be home to three quarters of the world?s population in 2022.
?This represents an unparalleled commercial opportunity for FIFA and its partners to maximise their revenues from the World Cup.?
The unequivocal support the bid enjoys from Australian governments was recognised as core strength, with compliant Government Guarantees and Declaration provided and all necessary support secured.
The report confirms Australia?s considerable experience in hosting major events and recognises the contribution a FIFA World Cup? in Australia would make towards establishing football as one of the leading sports in Australia and Oceania.
Australia?s transport, safety and security, health and medical and information and communications technology proposals are all endorsed as being of international standard and able to meet all of FIFA?s requirements.
Australian governments have supported the bid from its inception, with the Federal Government providing $45.6 million to fund it, COAG confirming the Country?s united commitment to it and a stadium proposal supported by all Australian governments.
?A lot of confidence has been shown in the report in our experience of putting on large events like the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and many World Cup competitions for other sports,? Buckley said.
?Our bid has the full support of the hospitality and tourism industries and they have assured us they will have more high quality hotel rooms than will be needed and that has been noted in the report.
?Our aviation experts have briefed FIFA and told them our air transport network is one of the best in the world and will easily handle the necessary capacity.?
View the FIFA Evaluation reports on http://www.fifa.com/index.html
-Australiabid.com.au
