FIFA Not Corrupt

says Blatter.

Bullshit, says I. Something odd and downright shady happened in the run-up to the 2018/2022 announcement- allegations of vote trading were everywhere in the press- and an England bid that had been drawing high praise from FIFA high command, including Blatter ended up crashing out in the first round with a shocking 2 votes overall.

Seems to me that the British press caught wind of some shadiness and started hammering FIFA for it and FIFA retaliated by shanking England's bid in favor of Russia. England has the infrastructure and the enthusiasm in place for a bid- would have been easy AND exciting, but no, any hint of bad press means no Cup for the country silly enough to let it be published. That was shocking enough, but give Russia credit- they show up for the Champions League and produce quality teams.

What was really shocking in the World Cup mess was the United States being passed up for Qatar. The United States which held a phenomenal World Cup in 1994 that grew the game in leaps and bounds in ways that Pele couldn't when he arrived in New York at the end of the 70s. Another Cup could have pushed the game to new heights- and the United States also has the enthusiasm, infrastructure and gobs of money to do it right and do it easily- and it could have been another great stride into breaking the global game into the world's biggest untapped market.

Something is very wrong in FIFA. And no, it's not sour grapes on the part of England, the United States or any of the other losers. People got hosed but good.