7 million inhabitants and above all the heat

For 2018

England, despite the corruption investigations

Not only have a princely marriage next year and the summer Olympic Games in 2012 to boost a population distressed by the coming budgetary austerity, England is likely to turn increasingly for the 2018 football World Cup. The Prime Minister, David Cameron, was this week twice the round-trip to Zurich to defend his candidacy, flanked by prince William and footballer David Beckham. England believes that lobbying at the highest level until the last minute is necessary. It has in mind the help given by Tony Blair, then Prime Minister, in 2005 to Singapore that would have permis in London for the Olympic games against Paris.

A confidential study from McKinsey have calculated that the England bid would generate the best benefits, including for international football. A conclusion that should appeal to Fifa that the investigation of the BBC, which made new revelations on cases of corruption in the organization.

The Russia to change his image abroad

After the Olympic Games, football World Cup... The Russia is well determined to follow the Organization of these two prestigious events. It has even become an affair of State. Vladimir Poutine, which, President, had played a major role in obtaining the OJ for winter 2014 in Sochi, on the Russian shores of the Black Sea, similarly invests as Prime Minister today to defend the Russian bid for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The games would be held in 13 different cities, since the European enclave of Kaliningrad to the capital of the Urals, Ekaterinborg. Either a complex organization transport, one of the weaknesses of the Russian record. Subject of a national advertising campaign, the nomination has been entrusted to a close friend of Vladimir Putin. Because the issue is also political sport: the Russia relies on these major competitions to change its image abroad.

The Spain and the Portugal, the nomination "Iberian".

The title world champion has joined forces with the Portugal to apply so-called "Iberian" for the Organization of the 2018 World Cup. "We are moderately optimistic," argued yesterday Miguel ngel López, Director of the hispano-portugaise application.

For Fifa, infrastructure - both sports and that hotel transport - are the main asset of the Iberian bid. The two countries have 21 stages - which only 5 are not yet built - and a potential of 3.7 million entries, based on the evaluation of the Fifa report. The Spain and the Portugal were charged with having concluded a pact with the Qatar, candidate for 2022, for exchanging votes on the Executive Committee. But Fifa them bleached fault "of sufficient evidence" to establish a collusion between the two applications.

The Netherlands and the Belgium, weakened by the political crisis

The two neighbors, who have for them for organizing Euro 2000, are not among the Favorites. Siloed experience should not be sufficient to eliminate a double disability: a lack of major stages, and the political crisis currently in Belgium.

For 2022

The United States Favorites

According to the Fifa evaluation report, the American record has the better arguments. World power, seat of many – and main – sponsors of Fifa, the United States have however already obtained the Organization of the competition in 1994. However, after South Africa in 2010, 22 delegates called to vote could focus on new territories.

The Korea of the South, despite the threat of Pyongyang

To promote the candidacy of their country, officials in Seoul have not hesitated, these days, to convene the North Korean dictatorship of Kim Jong-il and insured that the Organization of the competition in 2022 would above all to promote peace on the peninsula. They even discussed, without precision, the Organization of at least one match in Pyongyang, on one of the most militarized border in the world. But the recent further tensions between the two countries could weigh on the choice of Fifa.

The Japan plays science fiction

To counter his critics, that remind us that the country co-organized, with the South Korea competition in 2002, the Japan proposes to propel the event into a new dimension. The country believes that it should be able in 2022 project games, live and 3 (d), located a little partners stages everywhere in the world.

However, this promise of technological revolution is not certain to take the decision of Fifa, which seems to fear to do not benefit, in the archipelago, and exemptions from taxes on revenues that it requires all organisers countries.

The Australia, the big score

Out of its isolation in the Oceania zone, the Australia integrated the Asian Confederation in 2006 and is now part of regulars in the final stages of the (two entries in a row in 2006 and 2010) World Cup. But the Australia might suffer from the remoteness of Europe and the weakness of the TV rights (because of lag) paid by European countries, the sinews of war for Fifa.

The Qatar and petrodollars

The most ambitious bid. The Emirate of the Qatar has released the game to appeal to Fifa with futuristic stadiums and a record by an iconic Ambassador, Zinedine Zidane. But even if Fifa has nothing to fear in terms of financing, logistics and infrastructure, it is concerned about the small area of the country (11.400 km2, 1.7 million inhabitants) and, above all, the heat.