Football Federation Australia (FFA) have requested compensation from FIFA for the $43 million spent on their unsuccessful bid to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022.
The FFA have requested compensation in the wake of FIFA’s suggestions that the World Cup could be moved to winter months so as to avoid the searing summer heat in the Middle East.
Australia made their World Cup bid taking into account the fact that the games would be played during the European summer, as it is traditionally, so that it did not clash with lucrative club competitions such as the English Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.
The FFA have asked FIFA to make “an in-principle decision that just and fair compensation should be paid to those nations that invested many millions, and national prestige, in bidding for a summer event” if the tournament is shifted to Qatar’s winter.
FFA has also suggested that, should the switch to winter become reality then “a transparent process should be established to examine the scheduling implications for all leagues and a method developed for agreeing appropriate compensation for those affected.”
FFA Chairman Frank Lowy advised FIFA to consider carefully before making a decision to shift domestic seasons around in order to stage a winter World Cup. He clarified his position in a letter to FIFA president Sepp Blatter in July.
“But now, with increasing speculation about a change that will impact on us as one of the bidding nations, and because our competition will be affected, we have made our position public.
“Our season takes place during the Australian summer to avoid a clash with other local football codes, a move that was necessary because the A-League simply could not get access to the high standard stadiums required as they were being used by other codes during the Australian winter.
Australia invested heavily in the World Cup process and the entire nation was behind the bid,” Lowy said. “Since December 2010 Australia has been careful not to let its misgivings about the process be interpreted as sour grapes.
“If the World Cup were to be staged in the middle of our A-League season it would impact on our competition, not just for 2022, but for the seasons leading up to and beyond that date.
“Clubs, investors, broadcasters, players and fans would all be affected.
“FIFA has an opportunity now to make the best of a bad situation by embarking on a transparent and orderly approach, unlike the process that led to the original flawed decision in December 2010.
“FIFA champions the notion of ‘Fair Play’ and that principle should apply to the decisions it makes in the coming months.”
