Qatar 2022 World Cup will be Canceled Soon

Qatar 2022 World Cup organisers ‘will not sleep well tonight’ following Sepp Blatter’s exit from FIFA, says FA chairman Greg Dyke.

Football Association chairman Greg Dyke has issued a stern warning to the organisers of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, declaring he does not expect them ‘to sleep well’ after Sepp Blatter’s shock resignation as FIFA president.

Dyke was also far from alone in calling for the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to be revisited.

‘If I was the organisers of the Qatar World Cup I wouldn’t sleep well tonight,’ said Dyke. ‘There has been less evidence about corruption involving Russia (2018). Qatar (2022) was never understandable — to have a World Cup in the middle of summer in Qatar when even FIFA’s health and safety people advised not to do it.

‘I think if the evidence comes out which shows the bidding processes were above board that’s fine. If it shows they were corrupt obviously the bids should be re-done, it’s as simple as that.’

Dyke’s view was echoed by Simon Johnson, leader of England’s failed bid to stage the 2018 World Cup. ‘There will continue to be these questions over the bidding process,’ he said.

‘Let’s see if the new leadership or interim leadership at FIFA do anything to resolve that. I want the full facts around the bidding to be known. If it is found there was improper behaviour in any way they must look at whether they should reopen the processes.’

Asked if he thought the 2018 World Cup would go ahead in Russia, Johnson said: ‘Yes, the preliminary draw is just a few weeks away; it’s too late to change it. But 2022 is another matter. I’d hope a fresh regime would take another look at the bidding process.’

Conservative MP Damian Collins said: ‘I believe (the votes) should be re-run. There should be an interim leadership to lead FIFA through the rest of the year with Blatter removed and start the process of looking at re-running the World Cup bidding processes.

‘We don’t necessarily need a new president in place for that and in many ways it would be better if a new president could be elected after a reform process has been completed and could be a new person to lead football on.

‘We don’t want someone who’s tainted by their association with Blatter. We need a complete sweep-out.

‘Sepp Blatter should in no way be removed from the investigatory process that the FBI and the Swiss authorities are leading. Clearly something has happened in the last 24 hours or so and he should still be available for questioning in their criminal investigation.’

It could yet fall to Blatter’s replacement to make a decision on Qatar, possibly aided by any evidence uncovered in the investigation being conducted by the Swiss authorities into FIFA.

Dyke added: ‘Why didn’t Blatter step down last week? Clearly there’s a smoking gun of some sort. He’s not been honourable in years. FIFA needs to be modernised. It’s been a corrupt organisation for something like 30 years and at long last we’ve got a chance to change it.’

UEFA president Michel Platini, who had called for Blatter to stand down, issued a statement saying: ‘It was a difficult decision, a brave decision and the right decision.’

According to Nikita Simonyan, the acting president of the Russian Football Union, Platini is now the best man for the job: ‘(Platini) suits the role of president of FIFA better than anyone else.’

FA insiders said it was too soon to know if David Gill would stand.