From the outside, it might seem as if the World Cup host nation selection process is totally random. But in reality, a prospective host nation must meet multiple strict requirements before being chosen by a vote.
Here, we take a closer look at how a country gets to host the World Cup and provide you with an insight into some of the costs associated with the process.
So, how does a country get to host the World Cup?
Today, the World Cup hosts are selected via an exhaustive ballot system. The ballot is hosted by FIFA seven years before the start of the tournament, providing the host nation sufficient time to prepare for the tournament.
The exhaustive ballot system hasn’t always been used to select the World Cup hosts, and it’s a process that has traditionally been controversial. In this article, we take a closer look at how FIFA selects the nation to host its upcoming signature tournament.
FIFA’s policy of continental rotation
Between 2010 and 2014, FIFA committed to a controversial World Cup selection process known as continental rotation. Essentially, this enabled each confederation to bid for the World Cup subject to the present rotation.
So, in 2010, it was Africa’s turn to bid for the World Cup, and South Africa was selected ahead of Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, and a joint bid by Tunisia & Libya. South Africa received 14 of 24 votes available, with the remaining 10 going to Morocco.
But as has been the case with World Cup selections in the past, the 2010 process was surrounded by controversy and allegations of corruption.
As it turns out, the allegations of corruption were true. Ex FIFA official Chuck Blazer admitted that he and his colleagues accepted bribes to select South Africa as the host of the tournament in 2010.
In spite of this, FIFA continued with its policy of continental rotation and awarded the 2014 World Cup to South America. Brazil would go on to win the vote this time around, securing the competition following the withdrawal of Argentina and Colombia.
The new World Cup selection process
After ditching the policy of continental rotation, FIFA instituted a new policy for the upcoming 2018 World Cup. They stated that any country could now submit an application to host the tournament, provided that their continental federation had not hosted the two previous World Cups.
So, in 2018, it meant that applicants from South America and Africa could not apply, but the selection process was open to the rest of the world.
Interestingly, the bids from 2018 were exclusively from Europe, and the competition was awarded (again, controversially) to Russia. Bids for the 2022 World Cup were the most diverse in a long time, with Australia, Japan, South Korea, Qatar, and the US applying.
Ultimately, the tournament was awarded to Qatar following four rounds of voting. Qatar received 14 of 22 votes in the final round, defeating America by six.
By awarding Qatar the World Cup, FIFA took the planet’s premier soccer tournament to the Arab world for the first time and agreed to move it to winter due to the incessant heat that is typical of the summer months in Qatar.
Host nation requirements
In addition to restricting which nations can submit an application to host the World Cup, FIFA also has strict policies in place as far as infrastructure is concerned. Below are just some of the requirements a prospective host nation must meet to be awarded soccer’s showcase event:
Stadia and training grounds
FIFA has announced that the number of training grounds available nationwide will be 150, in addition to an extra two stadia of 40,000 capacity or more. This is to support the increased number of teams participating in the competition.
Research shows just how expensive it is for nations to meet these requirements, with South Africa spending around $5 billion to build and renovate stadia in preparation for the first World Cup on African soil in 2010.
Infrastructure
Each host city within the selected nation must have an airport that is capable of hosting 1,450 passengers per hour. The committee also looks at subsequent infrastructure, including roads and public transport options for spectators.
Again, this typically results in huge infrastructural investments by the bidding host nations, particularly when the tournament is offered to nations that are typically lacking in such infrastructure.
Accommodation
Hosting a World Cup presents a big logistical challenge. For instance, the shortage of suitable accommodation in Qatar has led to a rental crisis in the Gulf state.
FIFA requires that every nation must provide 72 base camp hotels for the teams and referees and have four hotels within a close distance of the stadium.
Brazil was unable to match the accommodation demands in certain cities, which saw them bring in cruise ships to meet the short-term demand for accommodation.
How much does it cost to host the World Cup?
To host the World Cup in 2022, Qatar has reportedly spent between $200 and $500 billion to meet the requirements laid out by FIFA.
Russia spent approximately $11 billion to host the tournament in 2018, while Brazil and South Africa spent considerably less on their respective tournaments.
Ultimately, the cost of hosting a World Cup depends on the current level of soccer infrastructure in the country.
Qatar had very little in the way of international soccer stadia before submitting their bid, which is why the cost of hosting the tournament has been so high for them.
But it’s fair to say that a nation will need to invest more than $10 billion to host a World Cup, highlighting just how significant an investment the process really is.
Recap: How does a country get to host the World Cup?
As you can see, hosting a World Cup is no mean feat, and there’s a lot that a host nation has to think about before being approved. To summarise, here’s how a host nation is selected:
- Nations are eligible to apply for a World Cup provided that their confederation has not hosted the previous two tournaments.
- Once eligible bids are prepared and submitted, FIFA officials vote for host nations via an exhaustive ballot system.
- The host nation must meet very strict stadia, training ground, infrastructure, and accommodation requirements to submit a bid.
- It typically costs tens of billions of dollars to host a World Cup.
Given the amount of time, effort, and money that Qatar has invested in the 2022 tournament, it will be fascinating to see the tournament kick-off in November, and we can’t wait to witness the first-ever winter World Cup.
Interested in learning the World Cup? We think you’ll love this piece about the history of the World Cup trophy and how it has been stolen on multiple occasions!