Canada could bid for 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP

kitchener-lrt · #1 Posted: **May 7, 2008, 8:52 PM**

Canada might bid for the 2018 Fifa World Cup! Hopfully, the beautiful game will come to Canada!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_FIFA_World_Cup_bids

Beltliner · #2 Posted: **May 7, 2008, 8:56 PM**

As already mentioned elsewhere:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beltliner

If I seriously thought there were more than three Canadian cities that could draw flies to pro soccer matches without free horse puckey and potato salad, I could make a case for a World Cup bid. The playing fields of Calgary, conversely and as a case in point, are littered with the corpses of failed entries in pro soccer leagues, and any credible attempt to resurrect the game in this town would depend on a stable league and on a reasonably small, intimate, and dedicated venue. Although I'm not entirely averse to the idea of successful pro soccer in Calgary, the suggestion that there's enough demand for the game either here or in most existing or long-shot CFL cities to precipitate new 35,000-seaters is at best unfounded.* And of course, without a frenzy of FIFA-VIP-friendly stadium construction across Canada over the next five years, the odds of landing a World Cup here are somewhat remote.

___________
* Not to mention that Calgary will have to think a damn sight bigger than 35,000 if the NFL doesn't collapse under the weight of its economic model by 2012.

CCF · #3 Posted: **May 7, 2008, 9:17 PM**

Sounds great, but where would they play....

Mid1 · #4 Posted: **May 7, 2008, 9:53 PM**

Until the Canadian team gets better there is no point in thinking about it

As for stadiums, well we might see one or two new ones in next five to ten years but we need way more than that.

S_B_Russell · #5 Posted: **May 7, 2008, 10:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCF

Sounds great, but where would they play....

Host all the games in Edmonton!

Nicko999 · #6 Posted: **May 7, 2008, 10:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCF

Sounds great, but where would they play....

probably in Montreal! Biggest stadium there

edzed · #7 Posted: **May 8, 2008, 2:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicko999

probably in Montreal! Biggest stadium there

I am sure a world cup final in a domed stadium would make fifa very happy.
And of course no improvements would be made to commonwealth stadium.

Innersoul1 · #8 Posted: **May 8, 2008, 5:48 PM**

I am willing to bet that FIFA would require that all fields to be grass. Thus, BC place would need some sort of modular grass design, Commonwealth would be fine, grass installation at McMahon, Grass Installation in Ottawa, Likewise for Toronto and Montreal. Hamilton, Regina and Winnipeg could all also host games.

There are opportunities for many secondary venues: Victoria's university stadium could be expanded, Thunderbirld Stadium in Vancouver, BM Filed would obviously be used and Saputo in Montreal

As for expansion this would be a prime opportunity for places like Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and Halifax to build tmedium sized soccer specific stadiums.

I know that field turf can be used but it certainly isn't the first choice especially for a world cup. Look at the Champions League final that will be played in Moscow. The field there is field turf but they are being required by UEFA to put in grass for the game.

HomeInMyShoes · #9 Posted: **May 8, 2008, 5:49 PM**

That gives us a whole ten years to learn how to play the beautiful game.

Nicko999 · #10 Posted: **May 8, 2008, 10:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by edzed

I am sure a world cup final in a domed stadium would make fifa very happy.
And of course no improvements would be made to commonwealth stadium.

They're making a new roof! So it can be domed and it can be open

deasine · #11 Posted: **May 8, 2008, 11:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Innersoul1

I am willing to bet that FIFA would require that all fields to be grass. Thus, BC place would need some sort of modular grass design, Commonwealth would be fine, grass installation at McMahon, Grass Installation in Ottawa, Likewise for Toronto and Montreal. Hamilton, Regina and Winnipeg could all also host games.

There are opportunities for many secondary venues: Victoria's university stadium could be expanded, Thunderbirld Stadium in Vancouver, BM Filed would obviously be used and Saputo in Montreal

As for expansion this would be a prime opportunity for places like Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and Halifax to build tmedium sized soccer specific stadiums.

I know that field turf can be used but it certainly isn't the first choice especially for a world cup. Look at the Champions League final that will be played in Moscow. The field there is field turf but they are being required by UEFA to put in grass for the game.

Well we are hoping to build our Waterfront Stadium...

Source: Stadium Now

Source: Whitecaps

Acajack · #12 Posted: **May 9, 2008, 1:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Innersoul1

I am willing to bet that FIFA would require that all fields to be grass. Thus, BC place would need some sort of modular grass design, Commonwealth would be fine, grass installation at McMahon, Grass Installation in Ottawa, Likewise for Toronto and Montreal. Hamilton, Regina and Winnipeg could all also host games.

There are opportunities for many secondary venues: Victoria's university stadium could be expanded, Thunderbirld Stadium in Vancouver, BM Filed would obviously be used and Saputo in Montreal

As for expansion this would be a prime opportunity for places like Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and Halifax to build tmedium sized soccer specific stadiums.

I know that field turf can be used but it certainly isn't the first choice especially for a world cup. Look at the Champions League final that will be played in Moscow. The field there is field turf but they are being required by UEFA to put in grass for the game.

Didn't they "roll in" a grass field into the Pontiac Silverdome outside Detroit to host games for the 1994 World Cup?

Acajack · #13 Posted: **May 9, 2008, 1:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Innersoul1

There are opportunities for many secondary venues: Victoria's university stadium could be expanded, Thunderbirld Stadium in Vancouver, BM Filed would obviously be used and Saputo in Montreal

We would be talking about a major expansion here, especially in the case of the Victoria and T-Bird stadiums. FIFA requires a minimum of 40,000 seats for a stadium hosting a World Cup game, so even BMO Field would have to be doubled in size. And even the majority of current CFL stadiums don't qualify and would have to be expanded by 10,000 seats on average.

Also, the new stadiums people are referring to for CFL teams like Winnipeg and Hamilton will be replacing existing facilities, so Canada's pool of venues will actually not be increased if the Ti-Cats and Bombers, for example, get new stadiums.

Plus, FIFA doesn't generally use two stadiums per city. Vancouver already has BC Place, and this would likely be FIFA's home base in that city. Ditto for Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Commonwealth in Edmonton and Rogers Centre in Toronto. That's five. We need ten.

After that, come:

Calgary: McMahon is missing about 5,000 seats
Winnipeg: don't know how big the new Bombers stadium will be...
Ottawa: the current Frank Clair, if made structurally sound, is missing about 13,000 seats
Regina: short about 12,000 seats as well
Hamilton: short a good 12,000 also

That makes 9 venues/host cities. What would be the 10th? Québec City? Halifax? At the moment, both cities have very, very basic university football fields, that can accommodate about 10,000 people seated.

drew · #14 Posted: **May 9, 2008, 2:11 PM**

I think that the new Winnipeg stadium is planning on being a 3/4 bowl in the 30 to 35k range for permanent seating, with the ability to fill in the remaining 1/4 bowl with temporary seating if required (bringing it up to 40 to 45k or so)

A stadium with 40k permanent seating for the CFL generally doesn't make sense. It just means you will typically have between 5000 and 10,000 empty seats for most games.

The Jabroni · #15 Posted: **May 9, 2008, 4:40 PM**

^That is true.

If the World Cup does come to Canada and playing some games in Winnipeg, and if by then the new stadium is built, then I think we'll be okay.

Now we just need more interest in the sport. Granted that there is a lot of people who are getting into the sport (player and spectator wise) in this continent over the past several years.

Overground · #16 Posted: **May 9, 2008, 7:56 PM**

I think Canada has a very slim chance of hosting it let alone time to bid. Right now I don't think stadiums are the issue. What needs to be done is a complete overhaul of the CSA as they aren't even fit to run a Burger King.

Canada needs to look at the "Crawford Report" from Australia in 2003, which was a government committee that reviewed the state of Australian football and it's corrupt and mismanaged national governing body, Soccer Australia. Sound familiar?? Political in-fighting, resistance to change, and failure to qualify for the 2002 WC led to the organisation being revamped and the Board being completely sacked.

Since then. Australia re-branded the new organisation Football Federation Australia. They achieved financial stability, new big sponsors, created a new national pro league, the Hyundai A-League, and qualified for the 2006 WC after a 32 year absence. They moved to the Asian Football Confederation from Oceania, and have now officially put their name in for 2018, with backing from the Asian confederation president to host it.

The Asian president said they will fight as a Confederation to host 2018. So bids from the US, Mexico or even Canada could be detrimental to a CONCACAF bid without some communication, now. Australia already has full backing from federal and state governments with a keen plan to get things started as the selection for 2018 host is picked in 2011 with final bids coming in next year! The cost will be shared amongst gov'ts and the FFA.

The cost of mounting a bid and to just get to the pre-selection stage for 2018 is $20m plus. Canada is no where even near this type of organising.

Canada could be up against England(officially bid last year), China, Russia(intent to bid), US(intent to bid), Mexico(intent to bid), Spain/Portugal(confirmed to bid), Benulux(intent to bid), Australia(confirmed to bid), Canada(snoozing). England is already chosen as the favourite to win.

kitchener-lrt · #17 Posted: **May 9, 2008, 8:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCF

Sounds great, but where would they play....

There are a dozen fields across Canada that could be used, as well as upgraded to meet fifa standards. So far, a handfull of stadiums meet FIFA requirements.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stadiums_in_Canada

More stadiums could also be built in the future if we do win the bid.

2010 FIFA qualifying starts soon for Canada!

canucklehead2 · #18 Posted: **May 9, 2008, 8:42 PM**

Doesn't FIFA require 50 000 seats for World Cup events, so that means we would need a massive stadium building program... Only Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton would qualify so far and only Edmonton has natural turf...

cornholio · #19 Posted: **May 9, 2008, 8:47 PM**

One city is allowed to use 2 stadiums.
Also the required number of stadiums is between 8 and 10...no more, no less...though Brazil is applying to be able to use 12.

Canada has enough venues to host the cup(with some minor expansions and upgrading of old stadiums to standards). In the 2018 bid Canada is not interested in wining but rather gaining the experience of bidding and learning what needs to be improved and what not for a serious future bid probably somewhere between 2022-2030. Its common practice to have trial bids to test the waters for countries/cities when it comes to big events such as the Olympics world cup etc., the serious bid gets put in later.

^40,000 is the requirement with a minimum of 600 press seats and 30 camera platforms. 60,000 is the minimum for the opening, final, and semi round games.

Mid1 · #20 Posted: **May 9, 2008, 9:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cornholio

Canada has enough venues to host the cup(with some minor expansions and upgrading of old stadiums to standards). In the 2018 bid Canada is not interested in wining but rather gaining the experience of bidding and learning what needs to be improved and what not for a serious future bid probably somewhere between 2022-2030. Its common practice to have trial bids to test the waters for countries/cities when it comes to big events such as the Olympics world cup etc., the serious bid gets put in later.

With the quantity of countries biding for 2018 World Cup I have feeling FIFA would laugh at Canada and its stadiums and soccer problem, not that I don't want Canada to get better at soccer but rather start some type of review of the whole soccer program in Canada like a previous poster said and the federal government has to get involved in it, both with planning and they have to step up to the plate with cash!