Celebrities and Big Ticket Sales Not Enough to Persuade FIFA

Former President Bill Clinton Pleads US Case

Among those making the case for the United States’ bid to host the 2022 World Cup soccer tournament was legendary actor Morgan Freeman. Freeman recently played Nobel peace price winner and South African president, Nelson Mandela in the film “Invictous”. In the reality based story, Freeman’s character uses the World Cup Rugby tournament hosted by South Africa to unite the country. One can only assume that it was more of Freeman’s character than his actually celebrity which was hoped would sway the FIFA selection committee.

Also on hand to make a plea was former President Bill Clinton who serves as the bid chairman for the United States. Clinton reminded the committee that, during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, citizens from the U.S. made up the second largest block of ticket sales behind that of the South Africans themselves.

The speakers used their respective notoriety as well as revenue statistics to make their case. Reported ticket sales from the 1994 World Cup, hosted by the United States, were  3.5 million. It is estimated that, with the growing popularity of the game in this country, the 2022 games would easily top 5 million.

In the end it was not enough to persuade the FIFA committee who eventually awarded the 2022 games to Qatar, and the 2018 games to Russia.