SBNation.com - FIFA Begins Inspections Of 2018, 2022 World Cup Bid Countrieshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46737/sbn-fave.png2010-07-19T11:55:45-04:00http://www.sbnation.com/rss/stream/13407062010-07-19T11:55:45-04:002010-07-19T11:55:45-04:00FIFA Begins Inspections Of 2018, 2022 World Cup Bid Countries
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<p>The two-month process of inspecting facilities in countries bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups starts today, with <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/8820196.stm" target="_blank">FIFA officials in Japan for stop one of a nine country tour</a>. </p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/Japan">Japan</a>, concentrating its bid on winning the 2022 finals, welcomed Harold Mayne-Nicholls, head of the five-member evaluation team that will prepare reports on each county for the FIFA executive committee. That 24-person committee will use the reports in deciding which countries will be awarded the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, a decision which will be handed-down in Zurich on December 2.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/South%20Korea">South Korea</a>, the next stop on Mayne-Nicholls' tour, is also concentrating its efforts on 2022, as are <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/Australia">Australia</a> and Qatar.</p>
<p>After visiting South Korea, Mayne-Nicholls will visit Australia before taking a break ahead of visiting Europe's four candidates: the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/Netherlands">Netherlands</a>-Belgium (joint bid), Russia, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/England">England</a>, and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/Spain">Spain</a>-<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/Portugal">Portugal</a>.</p>
<p>The final visits will be to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/teams/USA">United States</a> and Qatar, the tour culminating on September 17.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hRslldrHXojDvQFwDWSJb88GM37w" target="_blank">Tentative dates of inspection</a>:</p>
<p>July 19-22: Japan</p>
<p>July 22-25: South Korea</p>
<p>July 28-29: Australia</p>
<p>August 9-12: The Netherlands-Belgium</p>
<p>August 16-19: Russia</p>
<p>August 23-26: England</p>
<p>August 30-September 2: Spain-Portugal</p>
<p>September 6-9: United States</p>
<p>September 13-17: Qatar</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/2010/7/19/2318050/fifa-begins-inspections-of-2018-2022-world-cup-bid-countriesRichard Farley