Australia's bid for the 2018 or 2022 World Cup

[adz]

...
But for the AFL to want all cost paid to them plus 100 million for the MCG for ten weeks is beyond greedy...plus now it appears holding off signing the MCG over unless the Blacktown stadium is in an oval shape and the bid is due in next Thursday...

Where did you get all that from?? You should think about working for the Terrorgraph!

 

[MrCelery]

Fozzie's article...

Rival bidders for World Cup seize on our weak point: parochial stupidity
CRAIG FOSTER
May 2, 2010
This week, for the first time, I was embarrassed to be Australian. Picture this. I get a call from a Middle Eastern journalist about the progress of Australia's World Cup bid since FIFA president Sepp Blatter publicly praised Qatar, home of Asian Football Confederation president Mohamed Bin Hammam.

Football's supremo talked publicly about bringing the Arab world together through football, which is a worry, because Blatter seeks above all else to establish his own personal legacy to football, and to the world. It's a new and significant hurdle the Australian bid must overcome.

Qatar has offered to build fully airconditioned stadiums and underground training facilities and is reportedly spending close to $US180 million ($194 million) on its bid, four times what the Australian government has committed to ours.

Marvellous idea that, airconditioned stadiums, I had to admit as the interview went on. So, the reporter asked, were our stadium deals finalised yet and what did I think about the blockades erected by other codes?

I explained that we expected news imminently, because a deal was still under negotiation to placate other codes during the tournament. Still under negotiation. After one year. It's hard to believe, let alone admit.

My interviewer's logical follow-up was to ask if there was still no consensus on wanting to host the World Cup. And just like that, the sad reality became clear. Our rival bidders are using this against us.

I wanted to yell, ''Of course there is - greatest sporting nation on earth, this one - we understand the value and privilege of hosting the world.''

But I could not tell a lie, for here we are, almost a year after the bid was announced, and the squabbling over small patches of turf continues.

This country, which was built on magnificent sporting achievements, is ruining its own chances through small-minded parochialism, and the entire world is witnessing the comical scenes that embarrass us all.

AFL management says it does not want to deprive a section of Australians the chance to see their sport during the tournament. They are, surely, having a lend of us. They may deprive the world of an opportunity to see Australia for an entire month. Small minds run small games.

Twenty-four billion viewers over one month wasted by navel gazing over a few fixtures. Play them before, during, after, or never, for all the world cares. Just put the nation first.

If you live here and understand the small mentality of other codes it is predictable, but try explaining this to a journalist from anywhere else - particularly one from a rival country looking for every angle to exploit.

Even the USA - home of the other over-hyped domestic sports, baseball and NFL - agreed to host the World Cup in 1994 and is making a good fist of it again. Americans can always unite under their national interest.

Yet Australia, so far, cannot. We had the Olympic games, but that won't happen again any time soon.

We have had Commonwealth Games and rugby tournaments. But this time, those who govern sports the world has barely heard of are risking an opportunity to launch this country into a brighter global reality in the new century.

This is a grand vision and, increasingly after Blatter's public posturing this week, a fierce political battle in which Australia must present a united face to the world for the next seven months.

And yet, the few whose vision does not extend beyond the Gulf of Carpentaria are giving the country a bad name. They tarnish the image of Australia as a proud, outward-looking sporting nation.

After Blatter's comments, Football Federation Australia's chairman, Frank Lowy, said Australia must unite behind the bid, because candidate nations have to prove they are committed to the cause.

It is high time Australians demanded more from those at the bargaining table. We are better, and bigger, than this. So get the deal done and stop the rot, for the love of God. If love of country is not enough.

Credit to Fozzie - This is it in a nutshell:

"AFL management says it does not want to deprive a section of Australians the chance to see their sport during the tournament. They are, surely, having a lend of us. They may deprive the world of an opportunity to see Australia for an entire month."

f**k off aerial ping pong. 

 

[MrCelery]

Qatar playing dirty:

http://www.qatar2022bid.com/lognew/?post=27

check comments at bottom of page

And Adz's post on the Qatar Bid site is the Post Of the Week!:

6. adz
05 May 2010 08:30
I don't know where Qatar is, but I do like playing Qatar Hero on PS3. All the best with your bid.

 

[midfielder]

...
But for the AFL to want all cost paid to them plus 100 million for the MCG for ten weeks is beyond greedy...plus now it appears holding off signing the MCG over unless the Blacktown stadium is in an oval shape and the bid is due in next Thursday...

Where did you get all that from?? You should think about working for the Terrorgraph!

HMMMMMMMMM ...... 100 million ....

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/rivals-made-to-wait-for-world-cup-payback/story-e6frg7mf-1225862279293

All parties are bewildered by a claim in the Melbourne media that the AFL was seeking a massive financial demand in its compensation bid for freeing up the MCG.



Blacktown Stadium...

1. Has the MCG been handed over i.e. signed off ... NO..

2. Has GWS (new AFL team in WS) got a ground... have they lobbies.. Yes wanted Showground at Homebush no Gov support...do they need a ground...

3. Were is their home base ... Blacktown...

4. Does the built call for muilti purposes stadiums ... Yes

5. Has before the TerrOR article been talk of the oval for the Blacktown stadium ... Yes ...

6. Is the Federal Sports minister a AFL card holding member and often seen at local AFL games ... yes...

7. Has it been asked for ... guess what I am not privy to AFL correspondence to the Federal & State gov...

8. Nor am I privy to Blacktown council private correspondence to the state & federal government ...

9 . I made all this up because the AFL are really very nice people who believe in fair play, you know sunshine lolly pops and sugar coated lemon drops ....


Curious

the 250 million figure is made up of the 100 million above plus .......... HHHHHHHHHHHmmmmmm

In the same article .. posted in full page 24....

If says in part the compensation to other codes is determined like this.

► Any drop in attendances at smaller venues;

► Any decrease in club memberships leading to a drop in revenue;

► The financial incentives at major venues that will not be achieved;

► An increase in the cost of travel and logistics;

► Home-ground advantage being compromised, and;

► Supporters inconvenienced, with clubs and fans forced to travel interstate more.

It is believed the formula varies for each code.

There are many key dot points ... but the main dot point is the club membership... the AFL claim they have over 600, 000 members... say in the years leading up to WC these are made quite cheap thus increasing the number ... lets take a guess to 800, 000.... now in the WC year charge lets say $ 500.00 ... say 500, 000 don't re sign ... WOW 500, 000 * 500 is 250, 000 ... sorry we only need 150 million for my example... plus the other costs... any fall in crowd numbers , sponsors ... travel costs..

So as shown on page 24 is the dot points of the formula... Anyone in contracting can tell you how to forward load a contract..


But maybe I am wrong and should feel all warm and fuzzy towards the AFL as they are really good guys and are not buying back page sports stories in local papers ... sorry you will ask for the link... so scrub it ... but it is funny in my area in the 30 odd years I have lived here their has never been an AFL story in my local rage... over the last six months about 7 page page stories...

 

[dibo]

if the AFL want $100 mill (plus there'll be associated works required) then just f**king expand the MRS/AAMI Park (aka the Korean Housewife). It will cost more than that, but it'll be worth it in the long run.

 

[curious]

Regardless of feeling warm and fuzzy, cold and shivering or a mix of paranoia that clouds common sense, it has no bearing on mathematics. 1+1 still equals 2.
But, I've learned not to argue with MF's rationale. I have enough grey hair as it is.

 

[midfielder]

Regardless of feeling warm and fuzzy, cold and shivering or a mix of paranoia that clouds common sense, it has no bearing on mathematics. 1+1 still equals 2.
But, I've learned not to argue with MF's rationale. I have enough grey hair as it is.

LOL I deserve that ... BTW off on a urgent client need ... will be looking but not much else for a couple of days ... or lonnger ... how some folk get themselves into so much poo with the Tax Office I can never understand...

So I will need a lot that fuzzy logic you talk of ...

Cheers for a while and wish me luck..

 

[FFC Mariner]

The trouble with the tax office starts when they know who you are. Its all downhill from there.

 

[dibo]

The trouble with the tax office starts when they know who you are. Its all downhill from there.

Oi, the Government's here for you. So pay up or we'll f**king spank you.

 

[midfielder]

It's late ...errr... early morning ... flat dick all day and tonight so tho I would break my silence and before getting into action in the morning ...  two TWG articles today...the first..a new parnter

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/996662/Cisco-joins-World-Cup-bid

Football Federation Australia has revealed Australias second FIFA World Cup Bid Partner as Cisco; the worldwide market leader in network technology.

Cisco is the official Information Technology Network Hardware Partner for Australias bid to host the 2018 or 2022 FIFA World Cup.

A FFA statement read: The relationship involves providing innovative collaboration and technology hardware solutions that will help FFA bring the FIFA World Cup to Australia.

FFA CEO Ben Buckley said: We welcome Cisco coming on board as an important Bid Partner.

The relationship enables us to better connect with FIFA and the world through the use of state-of-the-art technology, as we continue the bidding process to bring the FIFA World Cup to Australia in 2018 or 2022.

Buckley added: "The support of Cisco strengthens our efforts and helps us to spread the message about our bid both domestically and internationally.

Les Williamson, vice president of Cisco Australia and New Zealand said: We are excited to be a part of delivering leading-edge collaborative capabilities and technology to the FFAs bid to bring the FIFA World Cup to Australia.

Cisco joins Qantas as an official partner of FFAs bid to bring the FIFA World Cup to Australia.

 

[midfielder]

The second BB ... is confident in bid

Australian football's pained negotiations with rival sports over compensation and use of stadia during a World Cup look certain to drag on beyond next week's "bid book" deadline.

With final World Cup bid documents to be lodged with FIFA by May 14, Football Federation Australia chief executive Ben Buckley said negotiations with the AFL, NRL, rugby union and cricket continued to be "positive".

The protracted dialogue with other sports - particularly with the AFL - over compensation and stadia continue to dog the bid on home soil.

But Buckley is confident Australia's bid won't suffer by comparison with major 2022 rivals, the United States, as a result.

"All the other sports want to ensure that whatever happens during the World Cup period - the displacement that occurs because of that - that they are no worse off, that their seasons can continue to operate and that the compensation if there is a need for compensation is governed by an agreement," Buckley said on Thursday.

"I think we're working positively towards that outcome. They're somewhat complex issues, they take time to work through.

"But they're being worked through ... the discussions are constructive."

The AFL's recalcitrance is unlikely to register on FIFA's radar - soccer's world governing body far more interested in firm government backing and infrastructure issues when it comes to judging bids.

The federal government has locked in its support and backed it up with cash, while the bid book will contain a full set of 12 stadia to be used during an Australian-hosted World Cup, including the MCG.

Ironically, the AFL will be one of the major beneficiaries in terms of infrastructure left by a successful soccer World Cup bid.

Government-funded redevelopments of Adelaide Oval, Perth's Subiaco Oval and Geelong's Skilled Stadium are expected to be among the legacy.

All three are set to host World Cup matches should Australia win the event in 2022, and all would directly benefit AFL clubs and patrons with updated facilities.

Other World Cup venues are likely to be Sydney's ANZ Stadium, the Sydney Football Stadium, a new western Sydney stadium, Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Newcastle, Gold Coast, Townsville and Canberra.

Melbourne's Etihad Stadium will not be used, with the AFL expected to retain it for staging its matches during the World Cup period.

A decision on the successful bidders for 2018 and 2022 will be made by FIFA in December.

A European bidder is expected to win the 2018 hosting rights, with Australia, the United States, Qatar, Japan and South Korea chasing 2022.

 

[midfielder]

Blacktown .. will be a 41, 000 rectangle stadium for the Rovers... Phew ... some good news ...


From the age.....

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/mcg-still-not-locked-in-to-bid-20100505-uamu.html

MCG still not locked in to bid
DAN SILKSTONE
May 6, 2010

AUSTRALIA'S World Cup bid has still not secured access to the MCG as the AFL continues to hold out signing over its control of the stadium, citing a host of concerns.

With Australia's bid book due to be submitted by the end of the month and already having been sent to the printers, the MCG - which the AFL has consistently said it does not oppose being used for the tournament - is still to be formally secured.

The major sticking point is a demand by the AFL that soccer guarantees that the AFL season will go ahead - something that requires a ruling from FIFA as to whether AFL is a ''major'' sport. A major sport is prohibited from running simultaneously with the World Cup.

The AFL is also demanding a guarantee that the MCG will not be out of action for longer than 10 weeks. It is concerned that FIFA will require the city's largest stadium for longer periods before and after the tournament.

The stand-off, which has driven bid team members to distraction in recent weeks, could be decided as soon as today, with speculation last night the parties were close to settling their differences.

The news comes as rival contender Japan withdrew from the 2018 bid process yesterday, saying it had been advised that the tournament would almost certainly be awarded to a European bidder and it made more sense to focus on 2022.

Barely a week after praising Qatar's 2022 bid during a visit to the emirate, FIFA boss Sepp Blatter described Russia's bid as ''remarkable'' and again re-stated his preference that a European nation be awarded hosting rights for 2018. Blatter was less forthcoming about the joint Dutch-Belgian bid, describing it as ''small but very pleasant''.

Despite the clear FIFA preference for a European tournament in 2018, Football Federation Australia maintained yesterday that it would not withdraw from that race in favour of channelling its efforts into 2022.

''We are absolutely still in it and we are not going anywhere,'' a spokesman said.

''Europe might think it [the World Cup] is going to Europe, but 24 people have to vote on that and nothing is guaranteed.''

Another of the AFL's hoped-for outcomes - a new stadium at Blacktown that could be configured for use by Greater Western Sydney - has been rebuffed, with the FFA successfully arguing that Australian football has already obtained a hugely beneficial legacy through the bid process, including large-scale refurbishments of Adelaide Oval, Subiaco, Carrara and Geelong's Skilled Stadium.

The World Cup bid was instrumental in securing all of those projects and two of them - Geelong and the Gold Coast - will be used solely by AFL clubs after the World Cup.

News Ltd newspapers reported yesterday that Blacktown had won the race to be the 12th and final stadium in the bid book and that a 50,000-seat facility would be built there - a project costed at almost $300 million and to be jointly funded by the New South Wales and federal governments.

The report also suggested that the playing surface would be oval-shaped, as a concession to the AFL, which is looking for a home ground for its new Western Sydney franchise.

But The Age can reveal that the capacity will be 41,000 and the surface will be rectangular, meaning that Greater Western Sydney must look elsewhere for a home.

Instead, the stadium will become the new home of the A-League's incoming West Sydney Rovers, a competitor to the AFL in the turf war for the Western Sydney market.

It is also possible that the Wests Tigers rugby league team, or a hypothetical Western Sydney Super 15 Rugby franchise, could one day call the stadium home.

The Blacktown stadium deal will be officially announced next week, part of a slew of announcements before the bid book is sent to FIFA.

Among the announcements will also be a new $700 million-plus stadium for Perth. The stadium, likely to be located on the site of the existing Subiaco, would accommodate more than 60,000 people and be configured as rectangular for the World Cup but returned to an oval shape for use by the city's two AFL clubs.

As with the other venues under discussion, it will only be completed in the event that Australia's World Cup bid is successful.

 

[BrisRecky]

I'm astounded that one tubby little arsehole whose game is played in one country on the face of the planet with anything resembling success, can tell any other code what to do and how to do it...by the way he must be spewing about the new rectangular ground next door to "His" Etihad stadium

 

[pjennings]

Finally

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/09/2894339.htm?site=sport&section=football

Codes reach World Cup agreement
Posted May 9, 2010 19:00:00


The codes have reached an agreement to stand united behind Australia's dual World Cup bids. (Getty Images)
Rivals codes have signed an agreement with the Federal Government and Football Federation Australia (FFA) ensuring stadium rights and compensation should Australia be successful in its bids to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cups.

The AFL, NRL and Super 14 competitions would all be disrupted to differing degrees if Australia hosted a World Cup during the planned winter months, but the Memorandum of Understanding outlines all seasons will continue.

The AFL has agreed to give up the use of the MCG, Subiaco Oval in Perth, Geelong's Kardinia Park, Gold Coast Stadium and the Adelaide Oval if Australia's is chosen to host the tournament.

Docklands stadium in Melbourne will remain exclusively for AFL matches during the World Cup tournament.

The agreement says the AFL will not be disrupted at all by the Confederations Cup to be held the year before the World Cup.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou says up to 90 games will need to be relocated in 2018 or 2022.

"We know it will cause serious dislocation of our AFL season," Demetriou said on the AFL website.

"But we also accept that all codes need to make accommodations to ensure major events come to Australia.

"The core issue for us was around continuity of our season during the soccer World Cup and we thank the taskforce and the Federal Government for helping to identify all the issues affecting the various codes and working together to find a suitable resolution."

 

[midfielder]

Finally

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/09/2894339.htm?site=sport&section=football

Codes reach World Cup agreement
Posted May 9, 2010 19:00:00


The codes have reached an agreement to stand united behind Australia's dual World Cup bids. Rivals codes have signed an agreement with the Federal Government and Football Federation Australia (FFA) ensuring stadium rights and compensation should Australia be successful in its bids to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cups.

The AFL, NRL and Super 14 competitions would all be disrupted to differing degrees if Australia hosted a World Cup during the planned winter months, but the Memorandum of Understanding outlines all seasons will continue.

The AFL has agreed to give up the use of the MCG, Subiaco Oval in Perth, Geelong's Kardinia Park, Gold Coast Stadium and the Adelaide Oval if Australia's is chosen to host the tournament.

Docklands stadium in Melbourne will remain exclusively for AFL matches during the World Cup tournament.

The agreement says the AFL will not be disrupted at all by the Confederations Cup to be held the year before the World Cup.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou says up to 90 games will need to be relocated in 2018 or 2022.

"We know it will cause serious dislocation of our AFL season," Demetriou said on the AFL website.

"But we also accept that all codes need to make accommodations to ensure major events come to Australia.

"The core issue for us was around continuity of our season during the soccer World Cup and we thank the taskforce and the Federal Government for helping to identify all the issues affecting the various codes and working together to find a suitable resolution."

Bold bits all built for the AFL... plus MCG done up and compo...


The US are using our problems to their advantage...

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/2018-world-cup/news/997742/US-bid-looking-strong

US bid looking strong

The United States bid for the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cup has highlighted key differences with its rival Australian campaign, claiming its modern high-tech stadiums are superior and it has no culture clash with other sports.

Speaking before a sell-out 80,000 crowd for a Mexico-Ecuador friendly to open the New Meadowlands stadium in New Jersey, US Bid Executive Director David Downs said other American sports were 'delighted' by a proposed World Cup in the US.

That view is opposite to the feeling in Australia where Australian rules football and rugby league are involved in a turf war with Football Federation Australia over hosting a future World Cup.

"We don't have any similar obstacles," Downs told The World Game. "We are fortunate that [American] football is played from September to January so there are no conflicts with a June-July World Cup.

"We are also fortunate that these [stadiums] cannot exist with eight to 10 American football games alone in any given year. They need to have major events like a World Cup.

"The only major sport that may have a conflict with a World Cup is baseball and none of the stadiums we plan to use are baseball stadiums."

The US Bid Book, the official document that outlines its proposal, arrived in Switzerland last Friday bound for FIFA's headquarters in Zurich a week before the 14 May deadline.

Australia's Bid Book, printed in Germany, will likely be submitted to FIFA without a resolution over venues and compensation with the AFL or National Rugby League.

Downs said FIFA's optimum number of World Cup venues is 12 and that the US bid had 18 confirmed potential host cities including New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Baltimore, Miami, and Nashville.

Downs, a youth footballer and grassroots coach and referee, said unlike Australia, US sports did not feel threatened by the potential of a World Cup hosted by the US.

"The other sports are not concerned at all," Downs said. "They are all encouraging the bid. The other day we went to the NBA to talk to them about several NBA players endorsing the bid and they were delighted we reached out to them.

"What is happening in Australia is very unique. I don't fully comprehend it but I can understand that if the other leagues are in season and the ask is not 'Can we use your buildings for a couple of weeks' but 'Can you please play in another town' that's a tough proposition.

"But all the stadiums are happy to have us in the US."

 

[midfielder]

LOL LOL LOl gotta love the Melbourne Media Mafia...

http://img7.imageshack.us/i/footysaved.jpg/

 

[pjennings]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-to-play-on-if-cup-comes-here-20100509-ulsx.html

Love these quotes from the Age

THE AFL has surrendered its status as a major competition in order to allow its season to continue if Australia is successful in winning soccer's World Cup finals.

....

Under FIFA regulations no major competitions can take place in any city hosting World Cup matches for the duration of the tournament.

McLachlan said the AFL did not fall into this category.

"They are talking about major events. We have reached an agreement that we are not a major event," he said.

 

[pjennings]

WTF - Homebush not in the bid book????


http://www.smh.com.au/sport/football/three-new-stadiums-bolster-australian-cup-bid-20100510-uota.html

Three new stadiums bolster Australian Cup bid SEBASTIAN HASSETT
May 11, 2010
.FOOTBALL Federation Australia will reveal in Zurich on Friday the 12 stadiums it proposes will host the 2018 or 2022 World Cups - three of which are to be built from scratch. The Herald understands new stadiums will be built in Blacktown and Canberra should Australia win the right to host the World Cup, with Adelaide possibly the third venue.

As revealed by the Herald in March, a 45,000-seat rectangular stadium has been slated for Blacktown's green Olympic precinct near the AFL training ground of Great Western Sydney.

The venue has been preferred to Homebush - which does not feature in FFA's bid book - and would scale back to a capacity of 30,000 to 35,000 after the World Cup.

In addition to the new structures, extensive venue redevelopments have been planned for Newcastle, Townsville and Geelong. The biggest sticking point in negotiations with Australia's football codes centred around talks with the AFL, who refused to concede ground when it came to disrupting its competition.

The AFL has retained exclusive use of Etihad Stadium, leaving Victoria with just two stadiums - the MCG and Geelong's Skilled Stadium. By contrast, three venues will be within Sydney's greater metropolitan region, and two others less than three hours' travelling time away.

The AFL will perhaps be the biggest winner if the event does come to Australia. Infrastructure redevelopments that will directly assist the AFL - in Perth, Adelaide and Geelong - will collectively amount to more than $1 billion.

The nine bidding nations will formally make their presentations to FIFA on Friday, with FFA chairman Frank Lowy, chief executive Ben Buckley and Federal Sports Minister Kate Ellis all heading to Switzerland to front the proposal. Australia will be the first country to deliver a final bid.

The bid book - which runs to 760 pages - has been virtually complete for months and is in transit to FIFA headquarters.

Only 30 kangaroo leather-bound copies will be made, with none available for public viewing. The books will be printed at a significant cost and have been designed by German agency Abold GmbH, which designed the bid books for the past two World Cup hosts.

British bookmakers continue to list Australia as the third favourite (at $4) to host the 2018 tournament, behind England ($2.75 favourites) and Spain-Portugal ($3.25). Russia is on the next line of betting ($5.50).

However, such odds appear rather generous to England, who most insiders predict will have the rails run for the 2018 hosting rights. Should that happen, Europe will not be in contention for the next edition, cutting out the joint Iberian bid and leaving Australia locked in a tense battle with Qatar and the United States to stage the tournament in 2022.

Momentum for Australia's bid peaked at the World Cup draw in South Africa late last year, though 2010 has been a considerably tougher time for the FFA as rival bids have regained lost ground. Russia, USA and most recently Qatar have all strengthened their hands in the past few months, with FIFA chairman Sepp Blatter recently raising eyebrows during a visit to the Middle East by saying: ''The Arab world deserves the World Cup.''

However, Lowy said yesterday that Australia's bid had overcome all of its hurdles to this point and that the nation was perfectly poised to welcome the World Cup to Australia in either 2018 or 2022.

 

[curious]

WTF - Homebush not in the bid book????


http://www.smh.com.au/sport/football/three-new-stadiums-bolster-australian-cup-bid-20100510-uota.html

Three new stadiums bolster Australian Cup bid SEBASTIAN HASSETT
May 11, 2010
.FOOTBALL Federation Australia will reveal in Zurich on Friday the 12 stadiums it proposes will host the 2018 or 2022 World Cups - three of which are to be built from scratch. The Herald understands new stadiums will be built in Blacktown and Canberra should Australia win the right to host the World Cup, with Adelaide possibly the third venue.

As revealed by the Herald in March, a 45,000-seat rectangular stadium has been slated for Blacktown's green Olympic precinct near the AFL training ground of Great Western Sydney.

The venue has been preferred to Homebush - which does not feature in FFA's bid book - and would scale back to a capacity of 30,000 to 35,000 after the World Cup.

In addition to the new structures, extensive venue redevelopments have been planned for Newcastle, Townsville and Geelong. The biggest sticking point in negotiations with Australia's football codes centred around talks with the AFL, who refused to concede ground when it came to disrupting its competition.

The AFL has retained exclusive use of Etihad Stadium, leaving Victoria with just two stadiums - the MCG and Geelong's Skilled Stadium. By contrast, three venues will be within Sydney's greater metropolitan region, and two others less than three hours' travelling time away.

 

[marinermick]

I think they mean building another stadium at homebush.

ANZ is defintely on the list.