Football World Cup
Neuendorf on the 2030 World Cup award: “Unusual constellation”
Agreeed to the mega World Cup in 2030: DFB boss Bernd Neuendorf. photo
© Jörg Halisch/dpa
Bernd Neuendorf voted in favor of the host deal for the 2030 World Cup in the FIFA Council. Nevertheless, the DFB President still sees the six designated hosts as having major tasks ahead of them.
“In my opinion, questions rightly remain about the topic of sustainability,” said Neuendorf when asked by the German Press Agency. “We now have to look closely at what specific proposals the potential organizers develop in the application process in order to do justice to this important concern and this challenge.”
The 62-year-old also pointed out that the World Cup award still had to be formally confirmed by the FIFA Congress. However, all candidates must go through a formal application process before the final vote at the FIFA Congress and meet numerous criteria before the final award is made.
“Unusual constellation”
The DFB boss described the de facto award to Spain, Portugal and Morocco for the World Cup in seven years and Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to host three opening games as an “unusual constellation”.
However, as a member of the FIFA Council, he himself agreed. “All confederation presidents campaigned for this solution and sought approval from the member associations. Ultimately, the vote was unanimous, in line with the other European nations,” said Neuendorf, explaining the sports policy decision.
Neuendorf made no statement about the impending decision for Saudi Arabia to host the following World Cup as a result of the 2030 World Cup being awarded. “As far as the awarding of the 2034 FIFA World Cup is concerned, as a first step, the members of the Asian (AFC) and Oceanic Confederations (OFC) have been invited to submit expressions of interest. It now remains to be seen which member associations from the AFC and the OFC actually agree to host the World Cup,” said the DFB President.