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World Cup 2018 Goes to Russia, 2022 to Qatar (Where It's Illegal to be Drunk)

December 2, 2010 at 11:20 AM | by | Comments (0)

Just moments ago, two huge announcements hit the world, news that brings major repercussions for tourism, development, media and (of course) money. FIFA revealed the winner countries who will get to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup. Russia will host the 2018 World Cup and Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup. Yo, Qatar Airways and Aeroflot, you can start sketching some new World Cup airplane livery now.

Russia beat out England, Spain-Portugal and Holland-Belgium to win for 2018, while Qatar took top spot for 2022 over the United States, South Korea, Japan and Australia.

As you probably already know, the next country to throw everything into hosting the biggest soccer tournament in the world is Brazil, as Rio de Janeiro was picked for the 2014 Cup. Judging by how much fun we had tooting the vuvuzela all summer during the South Africa games, Rio should be twice as crazy...but then, Russia? Qatar?

We're going to say it right now: the 2018 Moscow and the 2022 Qatar World Cups will have major issues not with eardrum-piercing fan horns, but with alcohol. Russia is notoriously fond of vodka, but any drinking will do and we predict much focus on Russia being a boozy year for soccer fans. On the other hand, Qatar is a mostly dry country and it is against the law to be drunk in public, or even show alcohol. There go the sponsors! And—oops—there go the fans! As it stands now, Qatar will develop "alcohol-permitted zones" specially for the World Cup, or maybe they'll take the next 12 years to figure out something else.

[Photo: enot_female]

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