FIFA playing favorites with World Cup bids

If you love soccer, you enjoyed the 2010 World Cup and, chances are, you will keenly follow the bidding process this week which could see the United States awarded hosting rights to the 2022 tournament.

And then you'll get a headache.

Because this bidding fight, the one in which a bunch of old guys in suits get together Thursday in a Swiss boardroom, is subject to the skewed rules of FIFA – soccer's controversial, mysterious and barely credible governing body.

Reality and common sense count for little with FIFA. Its twisted and confusing world within the sport has been riddled with political back-scratching, and it remains a place where favors are the most valuable currency of all.

The U.S. bid would offer the biggest stadiums, attract the most fans and generate by far the greatest amount of revenue, but it sits no better than third place on the list of 2022 favorites. Qatar and Australia have crept ahead of the United States in recent months – a trend the Americans hope they can reverse in the vital hours ahead of Thursday's vote in Zurich, where the 2022 decision will come just after the announcement of the 2018 host that's guaranteed to be a European nation.

The release of a report that revealed a World Cup in the United States would be the most profitable out of all the hosts was timely but, in reality, doesn't shift the goalposts all that much. The equation that a U.S. World Cup equals big bucks has been part of the American pitch all along.

This vote is more about the politics and the oddities and alliances and nonsense. It has intricacies so bizarre that big pipe dreams and unproven promises carry more weight than hardened fact. It is where the men who control the world's game are seriously considering taking their premier tournament to a tiny nation in the Middle East, where temperatures would top 100 degrees for most of the event.

As you read this, the final schmoozing and negotiating is well underway. For all the glitzy presentations and high-powered lobbying, whispered conversations in Zurich corridors could tilt things one way or another.

The vote is almost upon us. FIFA is as unpredictable as ever. Expect the unexpected.

2018 World Cup host race

Here's a look at the 2022 World Cup bids and each country's chances at winning the right to host soccer's greatest showcase.

United States

Do they deserve it? In many ways, yes. The USA bid is neat and tidy and offers a promise of a trouble-free tournament. There won't be any white-knuckle ride this time, wondering if various stadiums and infrastructure will be ready on schedule like with South Africa. The phenomenon of the NFL means that venues are never going to be an issue and a preliminary report showing how an American World Cup would be the most profitable out of all the bidders was no surprise.

Will that matter? Not as much as you might think. These are strange times in FIFA, and logic would appear to count for little among the men who matter. Sadly, what is best for the sport is in danger of getting lost in the maelstrom of wheeling and dealing that gives the delegates their power trip and despite having heavyweights like Bill Clinton and Henry Kissinger on board, the U.S. hasn't gotten the credit it deserves for a clean, solid campaign.

Odds: 7/2 as the third favorite (according to U.K. bookmaker William Hill)

Qatar

Do they deserve it? Not really. Qatar has gone about its campaign in a brazen fashion, throwing around vast sums of money by hiring leading international figures such as Zinedine Zidane to provide backing. To be fair, that is pretty much the only approach that was going to make any waves and it has worked like a charm so far. The suspicion of impropriety will linger, despite a FIFA hearing that cleared Qatar and Spain (a 2018 World Cup contender) of vote-trading, but whatever happens from here, the way Qatar has put and kept itself in the hunt has been an exercise in public relations wizardry.

Will that matter?

Qatar is the name on everyone's lips right now and is widely considered the favorite. It is a step into the unknown, but the cash-laden backers of the bid have worked wonders in assuaging the huge doubts about the country's suitability. The promise of air-conditioned stadiums to combat soaring temperatures, plus guarantees that facilities will be able to handle fans and players from 32 nations despite Qatar having only one major city, have gained support as a "forward thinking" choice.

Odds: 4/9 as the clear favorite

Australia

Do they deserve it? The nation very much deserves to host a World Cup. Sports mad and the host of one of the best Olympic Games of all time (Sydney 2000), Australia would provide a happy home for the world's greatest soccer event. On the flip side, the leaders of the Australian bid have done themselves no favors and have allowed their campaign to slip worryingly out of the spotlight.

Will that matter? There is a sense within FIFA that the Aussies don't know how to play the political game – which may prove to be their downfall. After moving into the Asian confederation, Australia has struggled to rally that continent behind it and would likely lose in a head-to-head matchup with Qatar. Still, it would be sad if a World Cup wasn't hosted Down Under where a beautiful country has made great strides in soccer from a standing start two decades ago.

Odds: 3/1 as the second favorite

Japan and South Korea

Do they deserve it? Japan and South Korea are bidding separately but we have lumped them together here because neither has a realistic chance of winning. In real terms, the bids put together by both nations are thought to be stronger than the joint effort they came up with in hosting the 2002 tournament. The problem – it is simply too soon for either nation to repeat as host.

Will that matter? It is impossible to see any situation that won't end in the elimination of these two bidders in the first two rounds. Years of planning, millions spent on preparing the bid, then it's goodbye with a couple of measly votes. Makes you wonder why they bothered.

Odds: Save your money