Monday 6 December 2010

FIFA’s stadiums

Yes, it’s turning into a video Monday here at your third-favourite blog, but I figured you’d like to see the stadiums that Qatar is going to build so the Soccer World Cup in 2022 can be played in 45-50 degree heat.

Yes, these are the Stadiums that broke American hearts.

Slick presentation, but there’s clearly something else that persuaded the heads of the FIFA fiefdom to grant Qatar the boon.

Speaking of which, here’s what Russia is going to build for 2018.

And in entirely unrelated news, Vladimir Putin is now flying to Zurich to thank Sepp Blatter in person and return his daughter to him safe and unharmed.

(Hat tip Andrew B. Higher Definition video here.)

7 comments:

Mark Hubbard said...

Just so long as that penchant you have for stadiums doesn't detract you from the fact that if FIFA were a country, I suspect it would be something like Rwanda.

Perhaps a bit harsh. The mafia state of Russia at the moment might be closer to the mark.

A mass parachuting of Danish women into the stadium for the opening ceremony though would set it all off well.

(Oh wait a minute: that could be very dangerous for the blokes in Qatar - lust is your head off there isn't it. Stoning for the girls?

Which brings to mind, in alcohol free Qatar, all those Brit soccer hooligans are going to make for a very interesting world cup off the field. I wonder if they thought of that).

Peter Cresswell said...

This is FIFA you're talking about. Of course they thought of that. Just like they thought about how to air-condition stadiums without roofs in 50-degree heat.

What do you think they are, the U.N.?

RW said...

Works of art, especially the shell, should make up for such a dull sport.

Scott Wilson said...

Qatar naturally aspires to maintain its status as the highest per capita CO2 emissions in the world.

Not that it is a bad thing, but that it is curious how those who get uptight about it tend to ignore the countries that not only make the most from fossil fuels, but also use the most per person. Could it be they only want to cripple Western capitalism?

Robert Winefield said...

I'm so glad that FIFA didn't pick the USA. We don't need anymore gerrymandered tax-payer funded 'stimulatory' building projects.

However, where that sort of thing impossible, the USA would be the perfect place for a event like this world cup.

The infrastructure is already in place and (AFAIK) most of them make money. Hell, the stadium in Lincoln Nebraska has been sold out every weekend during college football season for the last 40 years (300 consecutive sell out games for an 80,000 seat stadium). That stadium becomes the third most populous place in Nebraska every game-day in Autumn.

This situation is repeated all over the country and has been for generations.

Now contrast this with what will happen to the three stadiums in that presentation. One tournament and then they become white elephants.

So better their money than mine.

DS said...

Brit soccer hooligans? Have you been watching 'I.D'? Hooliganism went out years ago, England fans are usually the best behaved fans these days, whilst our fans were behaving themselves at Euro 2012, the Poles and Russians were knocking lumps out of each other, in mainland Europe, the fashions are about 20 years behind, people still wear Ton sur Ton and Naf Naf the music tastes strictly basement bargain, David Hasslehof and UB 40 so obviously hooliganism is the latest trend, we're more likely to discuss mortgages and the new volvo than lead a mob charge these days, you have to move with the times.

DS said...

Hooliganism in England went out years ago, we're more interested in discussing mortgage rates and swapping gardening tips these days, the Europeans are about 20 years behind so as well as still wearing Timberland, listening to The Clash and having mullet hair cuts, they're still big on being 'Soccer rowdies', you really have to move with the times, England fans usually are the best behaved fans nowadays, we've 'been there, done that', now we just leave it to the others.