Introduction
FIFA world cup is most definitely the most famous sporting activity in the whole world. It is the most commonly watched games, and it has so many fans as compared other sports activities or football tournaments. It is usually played for a whole month every four years. During that time, millions of people tend to excuse themselves from work, other call in sick while others fail to attend their workplaces at all just to watch the big games of the season. Bars are packed and people glued to their TV sets at home to ensure that no game passes them. During this time, even the countries at war pause it just for a while. The whole world watches as the most talented players in the world represent their countries all eyeing the big title of the best team in the world.
The Fifa World Cup, an international soccer competition, where national teams from whole world whereby the best men’s national football teams from the whole world get to play against each other. The best team wins the title of the best men’s football team in the world which is usually a great honor. FIFA (Federation International de Football Association) is an organization in charge of the World wide management of football. It also governs football in the whole world. It is the body responsible for making football rules and enforcing them. For a team to be eligible to play the world cup, they have to be registered under FIFA. They also have to ensure that all rules put in place by the body are followed to the letter. Those teams that do not follow the guidelines set out by FIFA are not recognized as football teams in the world, and thus, they do not get the opportunity to participate in the world cup.
The first FIFA World Cup was played in Uruguay, and it is famously known as the Inaugural Tournament. The matches were played in 1930 and since then, the matches are played 0for a whole month after every four years. The only time the FIFA world cup was not played was 1942 and 1946. The reason for the failure to play the games was the Second World War. The war was in progress, and thus, the world cup could not be held. At that time, 1930, there were only thirteen teams that participated in the world cup. Today, however, thirty-two nations battle for the FIFA world cup title, to obtain the thirty-two teams that play in the world cup finals, there are qualifying matches during the three years that take place. Winners in each tournament phase proceed to the next tournament till the thirty-two teams are attained. After this, they battle in the host nations selected venues for about one month to obtain the winners. Usually, the host nation qualifies automatically for the world cup finals (Lisi, 7).
The first right to host the FIFA world cup was awarded to Uruguay in 1929 by FIFA, and the matches took place the following year. The county that won the title was the host nation, Uruguay. The first runners-up were Argentina, who lost the title by only two goals. The next match was held in 1934, and Italy hosted it. During this world cup tournament, the host nation, Italy, once again won the title. Czechoslovakia were the runners-up, and they lost the title by only one goal scored during the extra time awarded. France hosted the third tournament in 1938. Unlike the previous trend where host country won the title, France lost it to Italy. They won the tournament for the second time. Hungary was position two and lost the title by only two goals. After this, the FIFA world cup took a break for twelve years. The main reason behind this was the Second World War, which interrupted the tournament.
Since the 1930 tournament, nineteen more tournaments have been played till 2014. Surprisingly, the FIFA world cup trophy has been won by only eight countries. Brazil is the record holders having won the title five times, and also it’s the only team that has participated in every tournament since the beginning. The team always qualifies among the thirty-two best teams that participate in the world cup finals. They have also hosted the finals for several years with the first time being 1950. They also hosted the recently ended tournament that was held in 2014. Other teams that have won the matches are Italy and Germany, who have won the tournament four times each. England, Spain and France have each won once while Uruguay and Argentina are twice recipient of the coveted trophy. The next FIFA world cup tournament will be held in Russia in 2018 and 2022, Qatar will host the world cup.
Purpose of the study
The main purpose of is study is to establish whether FIFA world cup is a waste of money. Many countries bid to host the tournament. To most, the prestigious world event is an opportunity for their country to be recognized in history. They also believe that hosting the world cup makes their country famous and opens it up to the world for opportunities such as trade. It is also an opportunity for the country to make a lot of money over a short period. Usually, hosting the world cup comes at an advantage. Over the one month period when the world cup tournament continues, millions of football fans attend the match in the host country. They come as tourists, thus the host county obtains foreign exchange from them. They also stay within the county utilizing the resourced availed and paying for them at a higher price. They thus boost the economy of the people of the country and the country at large.
However, a lot of capital is spent on the preparations to host the world cup. The host country has to improve their infrastructure, specifically the roads and airports. They also have to ensure that the stadiums where the matches are to take place have been well prepared and are large enough to hold a lot of fans. They also have to ensure that all the people that come to the country have enough places to accommodate them and that these facilities are enough for all. Other than this, a lot of preparations have to be made for all national team members, their couches, and managers as well as all dignitaries who attend the FIFA world cup. All these preparations cost money and usually in large amounts. The question to be considered is whether the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.
Summary
Brazil is one of the country’s that has hosted the FIFA world cup tournament for several years. It will thus be the case study in this proposal. For countries to host the FIFA world cup, there are certain qualifications by FIFA that have to be met. First, they should have at least eighteen stadiums from which FIFA chooses twelve stadiums to host the matches. The stadium capacity is another requirement that must be met. For the opening ceremony, opening and the final game, the stadium must have a capacity of at least 80,000. For the group matches all the way to quarter final, stadiums hosting these games must have a capacity of at least 40,000. In the semifinals, on the other hand, stadium capacity must be at least 60,000 (FIFA, 17). This particular requirement makes countries spend millions and even billions of money so as to impress FIFA and thus win the bidding for hosting the world cup finals.
Brazil hosted the recently ended 2014 world cup. To win the bid, they invested eleven billion of upgrading their infrastructure as well as stadiums. In the Amazon rainforest, Brazil spent 300 billion to build the 42,000 capacity, a stadium which the Brazilian people regard as a waste of their money and resources. The stadium is only accessible by boat or air, and it was to host only four matches. Afterward, the stadium was left vacant, and no team in the area could utilize such a large field. The most expensive world stadium is also in Brazil, and they spent 550 million to build. However, it is being utilized as a bus parking space today. Another stadium in Cuiaba was built using 215 million is being used by homeless people who squat in the unused locker rooms. A stadium in Natal cost the country a lot of money, yet it is currently being used to host kid’s parties and weddings just to avoid it being unused. (Haisley, 1).
Brazil is just but one country we can cite as having utilized so much of the public capital to build the stadiums and improve their infrastructure. The promise to the people is that there would be greater reruns when after hosting the tournament. However, as evident in Brazil and other host countries, this is usually not the case. Governments justify their use of lots of public money in the name of tourism and business booming after they host the tournament. However, tourism only increases during the one month when the matches are ongoing. People travel from different places to come cheer and view the world cup finals live. Any benefits accrued to the world cup are thus only for a short while after which countries are left with their large investments and no justifiable returns from them. Countries thus spend a lot of money which goes to waste as these stadiums are not often utilized. The stadiums also cost lots of capital to run, and since they do not bring enough income, the government ends up neglecting them.
Capital used to meet FIFA qualifications to host the world cup could be utilized in a better way by governments. Other than relying on the tournament to be a source of economy boost, they could make investments aimed at improving their economy and thus would not be disappointed when their investments do not bring expected outcomes. Rather, they would reap their benefits from realistic projects other than stadiums construction. South Africa is also a country that experienced the same scenario. According to Mbulelo, SASCO President, a lot of money utilized to host the world cup world have been used in other ways to benefit the public. Money used in the promise of benefiting the poor and the country at large was a waste (Mandlana, 1).
In conclusion, as observed above, FIFA world cup is a waste of money. It entices governments to spend public funds so as to meet the required qualifications. A lot of money is also sent to sponsor the matches and the team’s preparations. Similarly, lots of time, money and resources are put into the preparation of the entertainment, decorations and other things that people expect to find when they arrive in the host country. Money and resources are diverted from other more profitable projects to concentrate on hosting the world cup. This time and resources could be used to perform other profitable projects, earning the country more money. After the tournament ends and all fans return to their places, the country is left having spent too much and gained too little. Facilities are no longer utilized, and those that are utilized do not meet the predicted income to be obtained from them. Public funds are thus misused, and the public does not get the predicted benefits.
Works cited
FIFA. FIFA World Cup stadiums Requirements. New York, 2013. Document.
Haisley, Hilly. "Brazil's World Cup Stadiums Were A Colossal Waste of Money." Screamer 5 December 2015.
Lisi, Clemente Angelo. A History of the World Cup: 1930–2006. Toronto: The Scarecrow Press, Inc, 2007. print.
Mandlana, Mbulelo. "World Cup a waste of money - SASCO." PoliticsWeb 14 July 2010.
