Didn't buy the west today but read the article on the back page. AllI can say is FIFO know how to control an event.

Basically if Australia Wins the World cup in 2018+ (yes a long way off) they enforce this:

1: No grounds used by FIFA can be used for 4 before before the event and all existing advertising removed.

2: No other football codes can run at the same time in the city

Which means in Melbourne they will have the MCG and Docklands, but the AFL still couldn't host a game at say Optus.

In Perth they would have Subiaco, and couldn't use the WACA as they did in the past. They would need to send match to country grounds.

Which means AFL/NRL/Union wouldn't be able to run a match within any hosting cities for 8 weeks!! This is okay for a country that only plays soccer but since we have two other more dominant football codes I can't see them getting away with being such a bully. Apparently all parties are in discussion.

Since the AFL etc have first rights to the grounds over everyone else it will be an interesting development if Australia wins it, despite the public support by the AFL at this time. Personally I think the AFL should stand their ground and get them to host it in Summer/Spring instead or host the AFL world cup at the same time on the premier grounds

A nice discussion topic for the off season...

Thoughts?

Thoughts?

Usually I couldn't care less what soccer does but if it interferes with my footy then I hope we never get the World Cup.

It will Be a Shoot out at the Okae Corale....Last man Standing.....

The AFL may lose, but by God they will go down swinging!!

Personally I think the AFL should stand their ground and get them to host it in Summer/Spring instead or host the AFL world cup at the same time on the premier grounds

With all due respect, you obviously have no idea of world football. The World Cup is held in June and July every four years. It does not change its routine because of a local, domestic competition, that - in the grand scheme of things - has no impact. I love the AFL as much as the next bloke but I recognise that it is the premier sport in Australia, and the 190th sport in most other countries. If we get the WC, it will happen in June and July. The AFL will have to go on hold for 6 weeks. That is what is going to have to happen.

Honestly - a four week "quarantining" period before the World Cup begins? Have they got three-year olds performing the manual labour? I love the World Cup as much as the next person, but an 8-week break is a significant dent in the season. If we do actually get the event, I'd certainly hope that the main grounds are available for at the very least 2 of the 4 weeks prior to the event, giving the AFL six weeks without the main venues. This could be a time where they have some split rounds, and promote playing in smaller markets, such as Geelong, Tassie, Darwin and Cairns as a positive.

FIFA has been a notoriously corrupt and pig-headed organisation, so I wouldn't expect any favours or common sense from them. If the Olympics don't have to be held in the same month every Olympiad, then the World Cup can certainly move. The weather will be putrid in June/July here - they'll have the worst of our cold and rain. Even if the tournament was moved a couple of months either way - to April or September - we'd be able to have an early or late season instead of gutting a hole in the middle.

I'd like to see something worked out. Having the World Cup here would be sensational. However I doubt that any other country has ever been asked to sacrifice as much in regards to existing sporting schedules to hold the event.

With all due respect, you obviously have no idea of world football. The World Cup is held in June and July every four years. It does not change its routine because of a local, domestic competition, that - in the grand scheme of things - has no impact. I love the AFL as much as the next bloke but I recognise that it is the premier sport in Australia, and the 190th sport in most other countries. If we get the WC, it will happen in June and July. The AFL will have to go on hold for 6 weeks. That is what is going to have to happen.

Article on it now:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/jeff...f-1225790667135

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/worl...f-1225790667294

Yeah I know its normally held around that time which suits the northern hemisphere where it is summer. So Australia should think outside the box and make a unique bid.

But the important part of your comment is

"premier sport in Australia," despite where is sits elsewhere in world the cup would be hosted here and is not ranked in the top three ball sports here. Which is why A-League here does not go head to head and plays over the summer as they wouldn't get any decent media coverage during the winter.

One article makes 1 interesting point:

"For a parallel, look to America, where Major League Baseball was permitted to carry on during the 1994 World Cup, and it's expected would continue if America hosted another World Cup."

Though I think that is because they have a lot more venues to host events than oz.

But the AFL has first option under contract same with NRL at their venues, so its up to soccer Australia to come to us with a solution, not the other way round.

In light of these draconian exclusive conditions I fervently hope we never get it (world cup) They can all well and truly @#$% of !!

This is Melbourne...we are a multicultural city with sport running through our veins. We have held every other major event bar the World Cup invariably raising the bar for each event. We could participate in this and do it on our ear..but at the exclusion of a sport which is as Melbourne as the Yarra River and VB. then no thank you... You can go shove your soccer up some other void !! <_<

Soccer needs Melbourne...we dont need Soccer..

What the hell is FIFO?

It's a pipe dream that we'll get it anyway. Unless we build some new stadiums how many 50k+ arenas are there in Australia?

MCG, Etihad (and how often does the world cup have two venues in the same city?), Stadium Australia, Suncorp, the apparently redeveloped Subiaco. And that's about it.

What the hell is FIFO?

It's a pipe dream that we'll get it anyway. Unless we build some new stadiums how many 50k+ arenas are there in Australia?

MCG, Etihad (and how often does the world cup have two venues in the same city?), Stadium Australia, Suncorp, the apparently redeveloped Subiaco. And that's about it.

Just a second. Isn't the owner of the Gold Coast soccer club bad mouthing the new AFL GC17 franchise and doing his level best to stop it from getting off the ground?

Stuff FIFA and stuff soccer. They can all FO as far as I care!

Just a second. Isn't the owner of the Gold Coast soccer club bad mouthing the new AFL GC17 franchise and doing his level best to stop it from getting off the ground?

Stuff FIFA and stuff soccer. They can all FO as far as I care!

Don't ask me, I couldn't care less about the A-League. Terrible standard, terrible clubs, terrible league. I'll stick with european football thanks.

What the hell is FIFO?

Sorry typo fixed now

FIFO = First in First Out ?

The problem with soccer in Oz if they are any good they go to Europe. That will always be their problem so the standard will not improve. Same reason soccer suffers in the US and they tried the beckham experiment to raise their profile. The only place outside Europe where you can make real money is South America, but your also likely to be killed too for screwing up.

One article makes 1 interesting point:

"For a parallel, look to America, where Major League Baseball was permitted to carry on during the 1994 World Cup, and it's expected would continue if America hosted another World Cup."

Though I think that is because they have a lot more venues to host events than oz.

The key issue there is that FIFA wouldn't need to stage matches at Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park or Wrigley field where MLB matches take place. What we're facing would be akin to the NFL being asked to slide aside for 8 weeks, as it would be football stadiums in New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, amongst others that would be used for soccer. We'll never know for sure because NFL season doesn't conflict with the World Cup, but the only way I could see the NFL changing its schedule for the World Cup is if FIFA handed over a few billion dollars.

or host the AFL world cup at the same time on the premier grounds

:D Australia versus who? Papua New Guinea?

I say nay to the World Cup if this is the cost.

Whoever makes the aussie rules world cup vs australia

Though we would sit out an australia team allow foriegn teams to recruit maybe 2 local players to assist their development.

It would only grow the game.

They could bring back the game I remember from the early 80's or late 70's, where the premiers played an allstar team. It was good,

a team of stars v a star team!

This garbage about AFL matches having to be put on hold during the World Cup is absolute crap. The journalists are flipping out, just like the puppet master wants.

It is spin being spun by someone - whether its the AFL putting up a draconian scenario so that we are conditioned to accept a lesser impact (ie no matches at the G for 8 weeks, but matches played at Skilled Stadium, Princes Park, Casey Fields and York Park etc) I'm not sure.

But AFL can continue. The sort of major events not allowed to be held simultaneously with the World Cup are things like a GP car race - things which will impact on hotels, police deployment and air travel. Things which the rest of the world takes an interest in. The rest of the world doesn't take an interest in AFL. FIFA would laugh if someone suggested that Australians thought that FIFA wanted to stop their little domestic competition.

There will obviously be an impact on stadiums, but the logisitics will be able to be worked out.

There will obviously be an impact on stadiums, but the logisitics will be able to be worked out.

More than just an impact I'd say. Can't see how we could host a World Cup and continue the AFL as normal. Stadiums would be decked out in FIFA advertising and altered to cater for soccer.

What the hell is FIFO?

Fly-in, fly-out.

The World Cup would be hugely beneficial to Australia. It is a massive global event that absolutely dwarfs our AFL. IF we actually managed to win the chance to host it the AFL would need to make sufficient room, it's only for one year, and it's worth it. In return the AFL would probably receive some sort of compensation, not to mention would benefit long term from a massive investment in Stadium infrastructure.

No doubt the AFL will battle the government and FIFA in order to minimise how disruptive the event would be, and so they should.

oh no, a two week mid season break.

the whole place would go soccer mad, who cares.

all the AFL players would come back 8 weeks later, fitter, fresher, with far less injuries.....the 2nd half of the season that year would be cracking. just imagine it!

warning this question is not as simple or naive as some may think on first reading

What is the real and tangible benefit of hosting the world Cup,,,,to the host nation ??

yes FIFA make an absolute packet out of it...telly rights.. ticket sales ..licencing of product and on and on. But what does ..say Australia stand to benefit from it ?

Revenue projections are invariably erroneous, overestimating the benefits economically whilst understating the costs.

Before you throw up the ol'' ..."exposure" . How many typical soccer followers are going to be potential Holiday makers to Oz simply for having seen a few games on the box ? Not the demographic that shouts tourism to me.

Given the enormous expense to hold it... what do you really get for it ?? I dont think its nearly as much as many will have us believe.

so what is it ?

warning this question is not as simple or naive as some may think on first reading

What is the real and tangible benefit of hosting the world Cup,,,,to the host nation ??

yes FIFA make an absolute packet out of it...telly rights.. ticket sales ..licencing of product and on and on. But what does ..say Australia stand to benefit from it ?

Revenue projections are invariably erroneous, overestimating the benefits economically whilst understating the costs.

Before you throw up the ol'' ..."exposure" . How many typical soccer followers are going to be potential Holiday makers to Oz simply for having seen a few games on the box ? Not the demographic that shouts tourism to me.

Given the enormous expense to hold it... what do you really get for it ?? I dont think its nearly as much as many will have us believe.

so what is it ?

Regardless of what peoples views are towards the World Cup. If Australia is successful in it's bid as a host. Each city within this country will "stop" for about 4 weeks.

FIFA spend the AFL's yearly Budget on lunches alone. The World Cup will Happen & FIFA will call the shots just as the IOC did in 2000.

I would love to see the World Cup in Ausralia myself. A 4 week hiatus for the players would be great for fitness. Bring it on!!

and the answer to my question WYL ?? did I miss something ..

and the answer to my question WYL ?? did I miss something ..

Who Knows where the $$ go, it's like any event that is staged.

It's exposure, Luring Tourists all that. You know the answer as much as i do, (and i don't know the exact answer)

But Australia does put on great sporting events, so if FIFA can be convinced that the time difference is not a problem we are a very realistic chance.

Whether it is beneficial to my personal well being i can't say.

(During the Early Part of this Decade the Country was supposedly "Booming" so how come i still went broke every 2 weeks!!)

Somebody makes a packet, but its never us!

I think it's in the best interest of the AFL and NRL as "sports" first and foremost to take a break and allow the World Cup to come in.

Even if the AFL didn't want to stop, they would be ludicrous not to do so. The games would quite obviously get relegated due to World Cup coverage, and the infrastructure in Melb and Syd would be a shambles. It's not possible. If we win, the AFL we lose out, but they have no choice whatsoever. I can assure you that domestic leagues do not worry FIFA at all. They wouldn't even be worrying about it.

Okay enough of this, time for something constructive to be said:

The fact is football rocks! Mums and dads might put there kid through the little league soccer team, but once their balls drop their going to wanna put on the footy shorts because they want to go out and hit someone!

To all those soccer obsessed, chill out just talking the [censored]..